Beyond Understanding
by ThatJeevasFanChick
Summary: A continuation of the "Beyond Reason" Set. BxL Fluff, Angst, Shota. Rated M for later parts. Now with a continuation, "Beyond Curiosity". Editing Parts to Chapters!
1. Chapter 1

1. This is a Role Play between myself and RipJawWolfFang. I am role playing as Beyond Birthday and she is role playing as L.  
>2. I have altered this story to that of a fan fiction format so it not in script style in accordance with the rules.<br>3. This story is primarily B x L, but will feature appearances from Roger, Watari as well as some OC's.  
>4. This is an Alternate Universe, set in Wammy's House era.<br>5. This is a shota, which means underage BL. Nothing explicit, but every mature part will be separate with a warning in the chapter before. If you find mature parts offensive, do not read them! Common sense.  
>6. There be chapters here now instead of parts. Edited content further for better story flow.<br>7. This is the SECOND in a series. The first is called Beyond Reason. Do not read this if you have not yet read the first. Go there and have a look at it.

We do not own Death Note or its characters. They belong to Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata.

Chapter 1

The darkness in the boy's mind had swallowed him once more though this time was different somehow... in his mind there was something new, or had it always been there? It was moving, breathing, pulsing in the darkness, slowly taking form. An infected, corrupted creature that the boy could not see but feel. Red eyes scanned the darkness for the source, but he could not see what it was that was breathing. Each pulse sent shivers down his spine, but they were not good. He began to grow nervous. Was it the snake? Was she here to take his life in his sleep? He gulped and began to pick his way through the black around him, shuddering and growing more fearful. Even in this complete darkness there was an area of more shadow then the rest of the fog filled world. As the boy moved closer it started to take form bubbling out from the ground like hot tar and crawling forward.

B was taken back and halted in his movements, frozen in place by fear. Everything screamed at him to move, but he could not. It was like watching a terrible accident unfold, something he didn't want to see, but can't take his eyes off of. It took all his screaming will power to finally motivate him backwards slowly, shaking like a leaf and starting to try wake himself, but to no avail.  
>"Lawli!" He cried out in fear, but this darkness swallowed the name called and never let it go.<p>

Other creatures of Beyond's mind started to gather round, they seemed as though they where going to attack the boy and the half formed creature. It lifted its head, oozing with black slime and gave a loud, booming roar, sending shock waves through everything in the darkness. Instinct kicked in and Beyond took off running as fast as he could go, but the thick fog soon became too suffocating, forcing him to stop. He soon realized this was a bad move and he was now at a serious disadvantage. He started to whimper and shake more, collapsing and holding his ears and closing his eyes, rocking into himself and freeing tears.

Before they boy knew what hit him the grey man was at his side with some of the other dark creatures. A copy of L whom was riddled with bullet holes was in his arms. The body was gasping and gurgling, whispering quietly, 'Why didn't you save me? Do you hate me? Why did you do this to me?'

Tear stained eyes looked to the form in Grey Man's arms and he began to sniffle and sob. In his weakened mental state, he began to believe that his dream state was real.  
>"I-I d-don't hate you L-Lawli," he whimpered.<br>"I-I d-didn't m-mean t-to hurt you... I-I'm s-so sor-sorry..." The creature chucked the older boy at his feet, letting the blood spill to the ground and pool around him. He stopped speaking and simply started to shudder and spit up blood as death closed in, and to B it was as real as it could ever be.

B was wracked with emotion as he covered his friend and didn't let go, crying for an apparition that did not exist. Unseen to him, the black creature was nearing the point where its essence would begin to absorb into B's body.  
>"I'm s-s-so s-sorry..." he cried, burying his face into a blood stained shirt and in turn making him bloody.<br>"I-I'll j-join you... I-I p-promise..." He placed a tender, but heartfelt kiss to nonexistent lips.

There was another roar from the beast as it neared the grey man, tearing through it and many of the other creatures as they lunged at the slimy beast.  
>"BEYOND BIRTHDAY!" it bellowed, eye sockets empty and swirling with a shadowy void. B flinched and cried out, holding 'L's' body for protection.<br>"L-leave me alone..." he whimpered, holding the now lifeless form close to his.  
>"YOU WANT TO PROTECT HIM! YOU WANT TO SAVE HIM!" It roared, again slicing through another creature.<br>"Y-yes... H-he's my Lawli... I'd g-give my l-life f-for him..." He was terrified, and his answer came out weaker than he wanted it to.  
>"B-but it's t-too late... h-he's gone..."<p>

The creature trudged closer, slime dripping from his maw and falling to the ground. It touched its beastly nose to the boys body and made the 'dead' detective draw a deep breath.  
>"YOU ARE TOO WEAK TO PROTECT HIM! YOU MUST BECOME STRONG! YOU MUST GAIN POWER! TAKE IT BY FORCE, OR LOSE FOREVER!"<br>"I-I'll d-do anything... I d-don't want t-to l-lose him... P-please..." He held the "detective" closer still.  
>"I AM STRONG! I WILL MAKE YOU STRONG!" It bellowed, "THIS IS ONLY IN YOUR MIND AND YET STILL HE SUFFERS HERE! USE MY POWER! BECOME ONE WITH ME!"<p>

B turned and stood up shakily, sniffling before taking a step to the monster and reaching to touch the slimy mass, closing his eyes and averting them.  
>"YOU ARE VERY WISE!" it roared and suddenly all the darkness in the boys mind started to turn around and run in fear. B's body convulsed and he was frozen in place, eyes glowing as the beast began to meld into his body. His mind went blank during the process and lost all coherent thought.<p>

As the creature finished melding with the boy, Beyond started to feel its power and rage. It was something that had been in him all along and he knew that, now he has just given it a name, to name evil is to give it power. He smiled, though it was different, darker, powerful.  
>"Beyond Birthday... Beyond Birthday..." He tested it, tasted it, liking how it rolled off his tongue." He looked to the waking gap and welcomed the light as he was brought back to reality. L was still fast asleep on his friends chest when he awoke, completely oblivious to the changes in his friends mind.<p>

Xx Mature Sequence Interlude in next Part xX

L rolled onto his back panting. It was definitely the most unusual wake up he ever had.

"I thought I might try something new for once," he said with a smile, leaning in to give the older a kiss before getting out of bed to wash his hands. L nodded, but otherwise remained silent in favor of catching his breath. There was something unusual about his friend that morning... The younger raven walked out a short time later and sat down on his bed before getting day clothes for himself.

"What has gotten in to you this morning Beyond?" the elder asked quietly after a long, but comfortable silence.  
>"You seem... More outgoing then usual..." it wasn't bad, just different...<br>"I had a good dream and I wanted to share the equivalent of the good feeling it gave me with you. I did also promise to let you wake up this way, did I not? I promised you this when I recovered from the operation."  
>"I had almost forgotten..."<p>

A small smile creeps onto the dark eyed ravens face and he closes his eyes in relaxation.  
>"What was your dream about?"<br>"I can't quite describe it... I think it was beyond descriptions really. All I know is that it left me feeling more confident when I woke up. I think I finally beat Grey Man and removed him for good. I don't think I'll be afraid of him anymore." He smiled and looked to the door and walked to it, peaking outside to see one of the teachers beginning the morning room checks and closed the door.  
>"Morning checks have started. Good thing we didn't get caught."<p>

The future detective nodded and sat up slowly.  
>"I don't feel very well today Beyond..." he mumbled, looking to the door.<br>"I think I may have to stay in bed..." This was more than unusual for the older as he rarely if ever got sick but when he did he seemed to get very sick.  
>"That's fine. I have some work I want to do today. I'll bring you breakfast though before I go. If they have porridge today, that will do you good."<br>"I'm not sure I want anything..." he mumbled and slowly laid back down, curling up into himself.  
>"Suit yourself, but I'll come back later to check up on you." B goes to his friend and gives a chaste kiss to a cool cheek before redressing for the day and taking his leave.<p>

L tried to keep himself comfortable and warm as what seemed to be a nasty bug took hold. Eventually however he was forced out of his warm bed and into the bathroom to empty his stomach rather violently into the toilet. His entire body trembled and shook and he couldn't bring himself to get back up off the cool bathroom floor, choosing instead to just lay down there.

The wild raven walked with a confidence that seemed to shock the others as he went to get himself breakfast. No longer did he avoid the gazes of the others, returning the looks with an equal amount of cynicism. He sat alone and ate his breakfast, something practically unheard of. When he was done, he walked out promptly to go to A's lab and continue to develop his compounds.

"You look very enthusiastic today," the young girl already in the lab commented.  
>"Where might I ask is your body double?"<br>"Thanks A. Lawli's not feeling well today, so I let him rest in his room for now. I'll check up on him in an hour to see how he's doing. I had a very good dream last night. It made me feel confident."

A raised an eyebrow and turned to look at the younger of her adopted brothers curiously. "Weird... I thought the great 'L' was immune to sickness..." She was only half kidding, in the entire time she had known the boy he had probably been sick all of four times... and one of those times he had hypothermia so that didn't count...

"Well for the times he did get ill, they were rather serious... so I don't think I'll be sticking around here as long as I'd like and call it in early if he gets any worse than he might be now. That also reminds me... I need to get back to Watari on any new applicants in the next few days. We are still looking for positions to fill at the center as it is."

"Yeah? I honestly can't remember the last time he was sick..." she mumbled as much to herself as to B and turned back to her work.  
>"With the exception of that whole snow incident..."<br>"That was my fault A, but that time has passed, so it's best to let it go." He removed some plants and a few testing compounds and began to mix and blend at a meticulous pace.

"Other then that though I thought he had the immune system from hell..."  
>"Hell? That's an interesting choice of word. Are you saying Lawli has a very weak immunity? Well he doesn't. A better word would be, iron-clad immunity."<br>He looked at one of his more poisonous compounds and decided to add to it before taking a rat and force feeding it to the animal, muffling any squeak of protest before setting it back to observe the process.  
>"No, the opposite!" she mumbled and gave a small frown at the sound of the rat crying. A knew better then to say anything now, but it still upset her.<p>

To his shock and morbid curiosity, the rat began to swell. He closed his eyes and diverted his gaze. There was a 'pop' sound before entrails were seen.  
>"Damn it... Too strong..."<br>"You think?" A was more then a little horrified at the mess the creature had made and shuddered visibly.  
>"I thought that one was the incomplete one... I unintentionally increased the strength of it by 36%... shit..." He sighed and got gloves and began to clean the still leaking rodent from the tank and toss it away.<p>

"Please don't put that anywhere near me!" the girl yelped and moved away from the bin that was just a little too close to her for comfort.  
>"Sorry A, but this is the only rubbish bin in here and this is a leaking rat corpse." He leaned down and put it inside, removing the bag to tie it off for removal later.<br>*Curious... increasing the strength above capacity can explode rats... I am going to have to experiment with this more later on...*

The girl shuddered again. It was almost amusing to B how low her tolerance to gore was considering how high it could be at other times.  
>"It's fine... just a minor mishap. Not the result I was expecting, I admit, but results are still results." He went back to work, finding and then adding to the incomplete mix for another round of testing.<p>

Time passed much faster than expected and when A looked up at the clock to see it clearly reading 10:13 she yelped with surprise.  
>"You really need to get back to L... you have been here for more then two hours!" Red eyes shot to the clock and saw A was correct and quickly put everything away before leaving the lab to check on his friend.<p>

When Beyond got back to his room, L was still in the bathroom trying not to vomit. He was definitely shaking and sickly now. The younger raven saw that the older was not in his bed and ventured to the bathroom where a paler, somehow thinner version of his friend was positioned near the toilet seat.  
>"Lawli... shit, I'm sorry. I took too long. I got distracted. How long ago did you start throwing up?" He looked inside and seen undigested food and a lot of bile.<p>

"Hour... more maybe... feels like a life time..." the elder groaned, gagging again and spitting up more of the strong stomach acid.  
>"Damn it... Not long after I left then... You need fluids and rest. I'll bring you to the hospital wing. I don't want any arguments. If you feel ill, just let it on me, because I'm not stopping for anyone." He goes to his friend and grabs him to pick him up, shaking slightly, but managing to hold him. He opens the door and begins the trek to the hospital wing with friend in his arms. The elder male closed his eyes and gives a soft groan, doing his best not to vomit on the younger as he is moved.<p>

Same as the first time, returned the dark looks, glaring harder and returning the mean sentiment with a nastier one until he'd cleared the crowds and was finally where he wanted to go, letting himself inside the check-up room and getting the attention of the assistant doctor. L sat there shivering and looked up at the young women with a dull expression.  
>"I'm sick..."<p>

"I can see that," replied the younger assistant.  
>"He's been at this for over an hour apparently. Is there something you can do about it? He does not get ill often." The assistant goes to the charts and looks up L's medical records before looking back.<br>"Can you describe for me what you've been feeling up until now? I know nausea is one, but are there any others?"  
>"Cold and sweaty... and just sore... headache..." The older male laid back down on the bed and closed his eyes, trying to stop his head from spinning.<p>

"Sounds to me you're suffering from the beginnings of a fever. Since you're throwing up, I am going to have to recommend a lot of fluids to go in your system. As you are ill, I am going to recommend a lot of bed rest until the fever has passed. Vitamins and small meals are also needed until you recover." The assistant began to write down some notations before tearing off the sheet and handing it to B.  
>"Bring this to Watari if you will. He's keeping track of all the days the students become ill."<br>"No... I'm not leaving his side..." The assistant looked a little offended, but resolved to deliver the message anyways, leaving the pair alone.

The dark eyed raven gave a small smile in thanks, but kept his eyes closed.  
>"I'm sorry for this..."<br>"Don't be sorry. You woke up in a good mood and simply got ill. I'm sorry for not checking up on you sooner." He hugged the warmer body of his friend and petted his hair.  
>"I understand... you... have work to do and..." L's words are broken by a groan and he gestures to his side towards a bucket.<p>

B moves quickly and grabs the bucket so his friend could empty more bile, rubbing his back comfortingly.  
>"I've got enough time to work on my compounds. My rat poison is being queried into by some potential buyers according to what Watari told me. If things go well with that, I can use the funds for further development for my other products."<br>"That's... that's good..." the sickly male whispered, feeling much worse now then when he woke up.  
>*I must have caught something while out, or perhaps ate something?*<p>

"When that doctor gets back with the confirmation to let us go, I'll carry you back and get you some water and orange juice. We were out too long yesterday. You might have contracted it from someone somewhere."  
>"Or perhaps I was still not well enough... from before..." the elder shivered and nuzzled into his friend.<br>"Perhaps it was a combination of both, but regardless, you're ill right now and I'll watch over you until you're better again."

B continues to rub his friend's back, even when the assistant returned.  
>"Watari informed me of the same instructions I gave to you. As long as you are diligent in keeping his health in check B, I see no problem letting you monitor him."<br>"I'll call in A instead if things get out of my control. It's good practice for her."  
>"Very well. I will let you two go for now." B nods and helps his friend to stand before carrying him once more.<p>

L leans against his friend helplessly and the way he was relying on him so much seemed to bolster the blood eyed raven's new found confidence even more. On the way back, they ran into H who spotted them and sneered, getting a glare from the younger raven.  
>"Where are you homos going?"<br>"Why, do you want to join us and make a threesome? How about we're not homos and you're the faggot who fucks his fingers while thinking of us." He kept going, but looked back at the shocked expression of the older boy. B sneered and kept walking.

It was probably a good thing that L wasn't paying much if any attention. His head was swimming far too much to pay head to anything to do with H or his posse. Once safely back in their room, B brought the older raven to his bed and lay him down.  
>"I'll get you water and juice. Bear will keep you company...oh! Speaking of which..." He goes to a compartment under his bed and removes a dog food dish and food.<br>"I forgot to feed you. I'm sorry buddy." He pours food into the dish and removes another to get water inside. When this was done, he took his leave.

The dog looked up at the raven and then down at his food, eating a little before deciding instead to jump up on the bed even though not allowed to and curl up with the elder raven who was happy for the warm body next to him. B's trip back was once again stalled by the older who looked rather enraged. He adopted a calm demeanor and continued unaffected, ignoring the older boy completely before continuing his trek.

"Wait!" H called out, trying to regain some of his cool in front of his friends.  
>"Off to get some lube for your homo friend?"<br>"No... I'd thought I'd save you the time and effort and get you some instead so you can jerk off with your perverted fantasies. Consider this a rare favor." He smirked darkly and turned around.  
>"You stupid fag! you don't have a clue who your talking to!" The elder raged, his friends behind him snickering at his misfortune.<br>"Oh? I don't know who always tries to find reasons to approach me. That to me H sounds pretty gay. If I didn't know any better, I'd say this is you trying to woo me. I'm sorry, but I don't swing that way. I don't roll with pack animals."

Again the elders friends chuckled and defeated bully simply huffed and slumped against the wall. "Yeah, yeah shut up!" B approached the older boy and pressed a palm to his chest and leaned in.  
>"If I were you... I'd start learning to pick my fights with those who can't actually defend themselves. I'm glad we had this little chat... Chester..." He grinned and backed off.<br>"Just fuck off freak!" he snapped and stormed off.  
>"I think you've already got that covered," he called after him.<p>

He felt empowered after this had passed and he grinned before resuming the task he set out to do. He went into the kitchen and found some orange juice and poured a glass as well as one with water. These he carried back to the room. L was once again trying not to vomit, but now he had hold of Bear for some kind of comfort.


	2. Mature 5

Disclaimer and such in Chapter 1

A/N: This is connected with Chapter 1, but I didn't want to cut it short, so it's here for everyone to see.

Mature Part 5

The younger raven looked into his friend's face and grinned before placing a kiss to his friend's lips. He let his hand trail between their bodies and dug into the older's boxers and began to play with his friend, wanting to give him a morning surprise. The older boys eyes slowly opened, a soft groan escaping as wakefulness took over once more.

B continued to play with the older as he saw his eyes open at last.  
>"Morning Lawli..." he murmured, grinning mischievously. There was another soft groan from the older though this time it was more pleasured. The younger raven put himself into a seated position and pulled the older to straddle him once more. While still playing with one hand, he put the detective's arms over his shoulders and muffled his mouth.<p>

The dark eyed raven looked almost frightened for a moment, unsure of what was happening and why he had been silenced, but soon he calmed down and started to enjoy the attention.  
>"Hush now Lawli," B said with a smile, now starting to pump his friend at a casual pace. The elder pulled his friend in more and more, nuzzling into him with a soft kiss to the neck.<p>

The younger felt the clear fluid leak onto his hand and used that to assist in his actions.  
>"You have to be quiet Lawli if you're not going to let me muffle you." He sighed and felt tingles, but kept up his actions. L nodded and muzzled himself with his friend's neck.<p>

B pumped a bit faster, squeezing a little with ever down stroke.  
>"This is just for you, so I don't want anything in return." The boy nodded and nuzzled into his friend a little more, giving another soft kiss. The younger raven stopped pumping and let his hand drift to soft flesh further down and played with that. The older made a noise that was something between a huff and a sigh and scrunched his eyes shut in an attempt to keep quiet. Not sure if he liked that reaction, he returns to the previous task, teasing the tip and freeing more fluid to assist him.<p>

It wasn't long before the detective was having to hold back moans at regular intervals, unable to hold back. B put his sounds to memory and filed it away for another time. Without asking, he put his hand over the detective's mouth once more, looking at his facial expressions, memorizing them and filing those away as well.

Again there was a moment of fear that didn't go unnoticed, but it passed quickly as he finally released into his friends hand. He didn't wipe his friend's seed away, opting to wash it away in the bathroom. He gives L a kiss to the cheek and smiles, removing his hand from the mouth, letting his friend collapse.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer and such in Chapter 1

Chapter 2

The younger raven walked inside the room a little while later.  
>"I got what you need. I know you're not feeling well, but they are supposed to help you get better." He sets the cups on the bedside table of the older raven before going to get a bucket from the bathroom. He returns with this and motions the older to sit up and hold the bucket and then takes a seat beside him.<br>"If you're going to travel abroad Lawli, perhaps you should go with one of those medical masks from now on. They would keep your identity secret and keep you safe from germs."

"My immune system is strong enough to fend of disease for the most part..." he mumbles dryly and takes a deep breath.  
>"Not right now, it's not." B produced and antacid pill and put it into the water.<br>"Take that when it's dissolved before you take the juice." He puts a hand to the older raven's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.  
>"I did a good thing today Lawli... I don't think H is going to bother us anytime soon because of it."<p>

Oh?" L wasn't sure what his friend was talking about, and truth be told he didn't care much for anything other then wanting to curl up with his friend and sleep.  
>"Yeah... I defended myself and told him off, there was no fists, just words; words he needed to hear." He smiled and pet Bear who only slightly bristled, much to B's surprise.<br>"Good..." the elder mumbled, reaching for the medicine slowly.

"I'm not going anywhere. Only to get what you need. You're in good hands." He continued to pet the shoulder, letting the extra heat warm his hand.  
>"You'll be needing to take a cool bath later today and again in the evening. Can't let you overheat."<br>"But I feel so... cold..." he mumbled, groaned and tried to take a little sip.  
>"You're warm Lawli, really warm." He helped his friend hold the glass and ease the water inside slowly.<br>"It will help you out."

The dark eyed male was seemingly confused by the statement, himself wanting to be wrapped up in blankets and heated up more rather than being put in a cold bath. The heat had clouded his logic and much was beyond his grasp now. B chose to speak up then.  
>"I'm going to ready your bath in an hour from now so you can soak and cool off. Then you can come back to bed and rest. You should rest though regardless before then, even if it's just resting your eyes."<p>

There was another small nod before the boy had to vomit up some of the water into the bucket once more.  
>"You really need to get the water in you Lawli. It's not healthy." He kept his palm on the older's head, making sure he would not be getting warmer.<br>"I didn't mean... mean to vomit..." the boy whispered and apologizes quietly.  
>"No need for apologies Lawli. You have a fever is all."<p>

A thought occurs to him and he stands up, disappearing in the bathroom to get a cloth and wetting it with very cool water before returning and dabbing the cloth over heated skin, targeting the hot spots on the upper body. The elder leans in to each careful touch, giving soft whimpers yet somehow enjoying it anyway.

"If you don't want to soak, I can give you a cloth bath instead if you don't want to leave..." He spoke softly while continuing to dab the cloth over, feeling it warm a little at a time. L nodded and slowly let himself rest back in the bed, not wanting to hold his body up any more. The scarlet eyed raven nods before getting up and leaving momentarily to find another bucket to hold water. His search is not fruitless and he returns, shutting the door and going to the bathroom to fill it up three quarters full with the cooler water and returning. Gently, he got Bear off the bed and dunked the cloth into the water and beginning his slow task.

L was gasping slightly which didn't go unnoticed, but was a normal reaction with such a high temperature. He coughed slightly and fell into a light sleep as his friend worked to cool him. No part was left too heated. When the front was cooled, B rotated his friend so the back could be cooled off. He was patient and made sure every part got equal attention.

There was another soft groan after a moment that caused the younger ravens movements to stop to check on his friend who vomited in his sleep and quickly started choking. B worked quickly, bringing the older to sit on his knee and leaning him forward, encouraging him to cough out the fluid. He would assist in this by putting his finger into his mouth to stimulate the gag reflex.

L vomited up what was in his air ways eventually, making his body shudder violently and he opened his eyes completely dazed.  
>"You choked in your sleep Lawli. I saved you." The younger raven pulled the other's back to his chest and hugged him close briefly. He saw an opportunity here and took the cool cloth and returning to his task after cleaning off the watery bile from the older.<p>

"Errr?" There was little groan of confusion and the boy closed his eyes again, more bile already working its way up. The younger sighed, but continued, hearing the gurgling of the other's stomach and knowing it was going to be a long day. Sure enough the bile came up and left his tired friend feeling all the worse.  
>"B-Beyond?" he groaned quietly, "I love... love you... do you love... me?"<p>

"Of course I love you..." he murmured, placing soft kisses to warm skin.  
>"I'll always love you..." He proceeded to continue his task, wiping off the bile with the older raven's shirt and continuing.<br>"I love you..." he repeated, clearly in a state of complete confusion.  
>"I love you too dearest," he murmured in reply, cooling off the older a little bit at a time.<br>"Don't go..." he whispered as the darkness started to take over again.  
>"I'm not leaving dearest..." He places soothing kisses, trying to assure the confused older raven of this.<br>"But... but it feels like..."L's body fell limp against the younger raven once more, falling into a shallow sleep.

Beyond cradled the older against him, shifting back until his back was rested against the wall. He petted the older, wondering what he was trying to say. Every now and then the elder would cough and vomit, stirring slightly for a few moments before falling back into sleep. It would be hours before he came into full awareness once more. The water he'd been using was starting to get warm before he felt the older gradually coming back into wakefulness. He pulled his unsoiled sheet to cover them both and had been softly kissing and reassuring the older silently of his devotion and dedication to him.

L mumbled a funny word that sounded a little like B's name, but he wasn't quite sure. He was still in the haze of his fever and wasn't really sure.  
>"Nnh? What are you trying to say Lawli?" He nuzzled the older's back and opted to pet him. He was starving as he'd skipped out on lunch and supper and decided a night raid would have to do when his friend was coherent again.<p>

"Where... what's happening?" he coughed, feeling very confused and still tired despite all the sleep.  
>"You're still in the grips of a fever. I stripped you and gave you a cloth bath. Your bed is very dirty and needs to be changed, so you can share my bed with me if you're not feeling ill at the moment." The detective nodded slowly; having not vomited for more then half an hour it seemed like the worst had passed.<p>

"There is some more water and antacid pills that Watari brought over earlier. I encourage you to take them so that the bile can be neutralized." He gestures to the antacid tablet on the bedside table and maneuvers them both until he can take it and break it down in his mouth and rub the broken down compound onto the older's tongue.  
>"Drink the water and think nothing more on it."<p>

L nodded once more and took a slow sip, getting a loud growl from his stomach.  
>"Can I please have some... some tea?" He was hungry, but not sure his sleep would come.<br>"Afraid not... Roger did night checks about an hour ago. Wasn't happy as usual. That means no tea, but I am going on a raid. Anything alternative for now?"  
>"Lemon... and honey?" he asks, coughing slightly.<br>"Alright. I'm going to get jam. I should not take long."

B gently edges the older off him and walks to his bed where he lets the older lay down, getting the bucket just in case. He exits the room and begins to look everywhere, using the numbers of the insects and rodents to guide him to his destination. Once more as soon as the elder raven is left alone, the huge dog leaps up on the small bed to cuddle in close as though sensing his discomfort.

Beyond works quickly as the fewer numbers allow him to. For some reason the numbers glowed a little brighter (or was it always this bright?) than usual. There was a moment to pause when Roger's office door opened, but it passed when it closed not long after. It was his only beacon to his destination and he took full advantage of it. He snuck inside and picked his way to the fridge door, opening it and lighting the area just enough to get what he needed. He raided the cupboards for his jam and set that aside so he could look for the detective's items. When they were found, he returns to the fridge and closes it and prepares the hot drink for his friend. Minutes pass before he returns, relying solely on his memory to guide him back.

L tugged at the dogs ears gently, massaging them with his finger tips. He felt cold, even if the room itself wasn't cold. The younger raven walked inside a little while later and closed the door behind him.  
>"Sorry for taking so long. Not much help in the hallways this time of year." He sets the jam down and gives the older his lemon and honey with a smile. He opens his jar and digs in right away, scooping out two fingers with jam to suck off with a moan of satisfaction.<p>

L takes a sip of the hot drink, feeling it burn slightly as it kills the germs on the way down.  
>"Thank you..."<br>"You're welcome Lawli." He smiles and digs into more jam, sucking the sweet treat hungrily from his fingers.  
>"That will help you feel better soon enough," he mumbled around his fingers, smiling around them. L nodded and closed his eyes as it made its way down. It felt good in a strange way.<p>

The younger raven let out little breathy sounds as he ate, loving the sweet treat perhaps more than anyone else, but he didn't care. He continued until the sweet treat was gone.  
>"That was delicious," he said with a grin. The older male nodded slowly, his lemon drink had a lot of honey and sugar so it was slightly sweet to the taste and very much enjoyable for the sickly sugar addict.<p>

The younger raven goes to clean the jar and returns, gently moving Bear from the bed to crawl in and cuddle next to the older, nuzzling a shoulder and letting out a soft sigh.  
>"You'll get better soon, I know it." He places soft kisses to an arm and nuzzles more.<br>"I hope so..." the elder whispers, rolling over and cuddling into his friend all the more.  
>"I know so," he murmurs in reply, nuzzling a shoulder.<p>

It's not long before the still sickly raven closes his eyes and falls into a shallow, dreamless sleep, only happy that the vomiting has finally stopped. The wild raven stays awake, monitoring his friend's breathing for the time he's sleeping. He wasn't feeling tired at all this night and didn't force himself to sleep, simply giving loving attention to the older raven.

Eventually the tired eyed raven's fever broke and the horrible shivering stopped. He nuzzled in closer to his blood eyed friend, sighing deeply.  
>"I love you Lawli... So very much," the younger boy murmured, stroking and petting his hair. The sleeping raven didn't reply though a tiny smile spread across his face for a moment followed by another sigh.<p> 


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer and such in Chapter 1

Chapter 3

The pair remained in this comfortable silence until the following morning, though B was not in the mood to move. He felt lazy this morning and didn't want to do anything. A thought occurred to him about the exploding rats and decided he would try some more experiments with those near the hideout today.

L gave a quiet groan and opened his eyes slowly to see his friend looking down on him protectively.  
>"Morning sleepy head," said B.<br>"I don't feel like working today. I have to speak to Watari later to see about those applicants then I'm going to have some fun later on."  
>"Alright..." the elder mumbled and yawned, closing his eyes again for a few moments.<br>"Are you going to return to your job today? If so, I have no reason to bug you." He just did not want the older to pry into his business unnecessarily at all today.

"Perhaps I will... a little later though..." the elder mumbled.  
>"I still do not feel 100% and don't want to make myself worse..."<br>"Fair enough. Did you want me to get you anything from breakfast today? I'll bring a plate back for myself also."  
>"Whatever everyone is having will be good..."<p>

"Alright." He gives the older a hug and kiss before taking his leave. He walks quickly to the dining hall and arrives earlier than a few other students. He looks at what's available and piles food on different plates and puts that on a tray with juice on both before trekking back. L slowly sits up, deciding to eat breakfast quickly before having a shower. Today he would just sit back and relax.

The younger hands the tray to his friend and takes his plate, slowly picking away at the food he chose. He avoided the jam they used from now on, only eating the good jam he would get in raids.  
>"Something curious happened at work yesterday that I was not expecting," the younger mused, forking an egg into his mouth and chewing slowly.<br>"Oh?" The older raven wasn't much interested in his food even though his stomach was growling loudly.  
>"Yeah, I had unintentionally made one of my poison compounds stronger than I intended it to. 36% stronger to be precise. The test result was not what I was expecting. I'll leave it at that."<br>"How so?" the dark eyed boy mumbled and looked up at his friend curiously.  
>"Do you really want to know?" He raised his eyebrow and ate some pancake.<br>"Is there a reason why I wouldn't?" The detective moved to get another bit of honey covered toast.  
>"Perhaps this is not the best context to discuss the results." He chews the pancake slowly and takes a drink of the grape juice.<br>"I'll just settle for it being... interesting..."  
>"But you have my curiosity..." he mumbled quietly.<p>

The younger raven sighed and swallowed the pancake in his mouth.  
>"This was an isolated incident, but the rat given the accelerated poison exploded... literally." He bit into more pancake and chewed.<br>"A was a witness to this. Needless to say, she was horrified at my accidental addition to the compound."

"That is an interesting response..." the elder raised an eyebrow curiously.  
>"Was it from a build up of gases in the stomach or perhaps heightened blood pressure?"<p>

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I was using two entirely different mixtures together and their combined result caused the swelling before the rat became deceased." He ate more egg and chewed before deciding he was full.  
>"I'm going to shower, visit Watari then go outside."<p>

"Alright..." the detective mumbled and took a deep breath.  
>"I think I will lay around here..."<p>

"Ok. I'll be out for most of the day. I may even camp out in the hideout again if I do so feel like it."

"I would like to join you if you will be gone tonight..." the elder mumbled softly.  
>"I don't mind being alone during the day however... you should take Bear with you..."<p>

"I'll be fine today, but if you want to join me, feel free. I don't need Bear with me. He can keep you company." He smiles and approaches the older to peck him on the cheek.  
>"If you want to join me, you're going to have to leave earlier as it's still in winter solstice and it gets dark sooner and we don't want a repeat of what happened before."<p>

"I was referring more to the fact I think he may be a little bored here on his own where as he can go out for a run with you..." the elder corrected and kissed his friend on the cheek back.  
>"I know now that you will be alright, and I am happy for you."<p>

"Well since you put it that way, I am required by default to bring him with me. Wouldn't you like that, Bear?" The large dog became more lively at the mention of an outdoor trip and began to wag his tail rapidly.  
>"I've never felt this much confidence before Lawli and I feel I'm going in the right direction. Shower first, so hold your horses Bear." He strips his clothes.<br>"By the way, I'll get Watari to send someone to clean your bed so it's clean for you again." With that, he finally walks into the bathroom and starts his morning routine.  
>"I am sure one day you will flourish." L smiled and took a deep, calming breath.<br>"Can you request he sends meals and a simple case for me as well as I would like to stay in bed..."

"Not a problem," he called from the bathroom. He took his quick shower and dried off normally this time as his plans dictated his actions. He walked out and pulled clothes out.  
>"The shower is ready for you," he said as he re-dressed. L nodded and slowly got to his feet, briefly petting their huge dog before disappearing into the shower.<p>

When he was done, he wasted no time and walked outside and directly to Watari's office and knocked on the door before letting himself in.  
>"Watari, I have a few things I'd like to address today."<br>"What is it my boy?"  
>"First off, have any new applications come in for the remaining positions at the center?"<br>"Roger is reviewing those at the moment and he'll give them to me to hand to you when he's done."  
>"Second, when Lawli was ill, he threw up a lot and his sheets are absolutely soiled and foul. Can you send someone to change the bedding please?"<br>"Yes, I will attend to that right away."  
>"Thank you. Last of all, Lawli would like for you to send him a small case file and would request his meals delivered today. He's not in the mood to go out at all right at this time."<p>

His adopted father nodded and absorbed the information before filing it away.  
>"Understood. Where pray tell will you be?"<br>"I have some things I want to do today. My studies are all caught up and honestly, I feel I don't need to take them with the classes anymore. My memory is incredibly strong as it is and I've memorized nearly all the available material. I am interested in participating in your hands-on mock scenarios still."  
>"I see. You're more head strong than you have been before and I suppose if you are confident enough, I will allow this."<br>"Thank you Watari..." B takes his leave and returns to the shared room as promised.

Oddly L is only just coming out of the shower, taking even longer then usual today.  
>"Is everything alright then?"<br>"Yes," he replied with a grin.  
>"Watari will have the cleaners in here today and he'll drop off a case file for you to work on. I'll be out all day with Bear. I'll bring him back inside before I camp out. Everything is taken care of." He softens his grin and steals another peck to the cheek before getting Bear's collar and leash and leading the happy canine outside to go outdoors with him. For now the elder contented himself to lay down on the other male's bed and take a short, but still much needed nap.<p>

On the way out, he detoured to the lab and made sure no one was inside before setting Bear to the floor and mixing up more of his stronger poison compound. He made enough to last him the day before taking them into his pockets and leading the dog outside and at last to the cooler air outside and unlatching the leash to let the large dog run freely. The dog looked up at his pack leader with wide and curious eyes, something the canine did very well. it was as though he knew mischief was afoot and he himself wanted part of it.

"If you were not called Bear, I'd certainly call you Eru-san just because you and him look the same. If you really want to come with me, then by all means, join me, but you cannot ingest my target subjects, no matter how tempting they look otherwise." He starts a slow jog to the hole in the wall and crawls under to begin his hunt for rodents, relying solely on his eyes to reveal them. The huge black dog wriggled under the fence behind the boy, tail wagging and tongue hanging out lazily. He had no intentions at all of leaving the raven to his own devices when there was fun to be had.

While the pair had their fun outside, the cleaning crew finally came around, knocking on the door politely before entering inside. The smell of vomit still lingered in the air and it became apparent where it had come from.  
>"L, we will not be here too long, so you need not have to leave while we take care of things in here."<p>

Back outside, B's first 'experiment' was found, a squirrel. Taking out his compound, he removes some and force feeds the animal and lets it go, watching again with morbid fascination at the animal's inhumane death. The blood eyed raven's canine companion stayed close the entire time, chasing down and capturing a rabbit as it hopped by and bringing it back to its sick minded master still very much alive and kicking, though not for long.

"Good boy Bear!" He pets the large dog and repeats the process, trying a slightly larger dose and letting it go. The reaction was a lot more gruesome, with the animal's insides forcing themselves out of the oral cavity. He tilts his head like a curious puppy before taking the corpse and adding it beside the squirrel's body.  
>"Get me another one Bear."<p>

Back inside, Watari showed up a little while later with a cup of tea and 2 small case files.  
>"Beyond told me that you'd like a case to work on as well as some lunch later on. How are you feeling my boy?"<br>"A lot better then I felt last night, thank you Watari..." the dark eyed raven mumbled and rubbed his eyes slowly, clearing the sleep from them, "though I don't trust that if I was to get up and exert myself my stomach would remain calm... I am quite sure I would either vomit or just generally become ill once more..."  
>"It's best that you take it easy right now until the illness has completely passed on. You don't get ill often, but it hits hard if you do get one. I've noticed that Beyond is a lot more lively than he was before. You must have been the first to notice this, I'm certain."<p>

Back outside, B's killing spree of rodents continued. With Bear's help, his rodent victims were including 7 mice, 4 rats, 6 rabbits and 9 squirrels. The canine seemed to be enjoying hunting and had proven to be quite successful at trapping the innocent creatures, scooping them up in his mouth doing minimal damage and taking them back to his sick minded master. Only once did he have a slight incident when trapping a small rabbit when he accidentally punctured the little creatures body with his huge fangs, dropping the body on the raven's lap expecting his due reward.

"Hmm... This won't do Bear, it's already dying. Hmm... on the other hand, you can have it as a reward for your hard work..." He snaps the animal's neck, getting a very short scream from the animal and handing it over to the large dog.  
>"After this, you must only bring me living animals, no more teeth marks, ya hear?" He showed the puncture wound to the dog and stated very sternly, "No," before handing it over to him. The dog gave a soft whine, but chomped down the little animal before racing off after their next victim, managing to bring the rest of their prey in alive.<p>

Meanwhile, L was thinking hard on the changes in his friend, trying to best explain them to his adopted father.  
>"Yes, in fact he said his confidence is due to his conquest over the night terrors... though I'm not sure that's all there is to it..."<br>"I've received word from Roger that Beyond's language has gotten a little rougher. S, one of H's friends can confirm with some other witnesses that Beyond and H had a very negative verbal confrontation. The main things exchanged were insults and calling each other homosexuals."

The elder male made a thinking sound.  
>"What would you guess as to this increase if his claim of night terror victory is only half true?"<br>"It is true a victory over the night terrors would make him more calm and increase his self esteem as well as his independence. However, this change seems to go right down to the core of who and what he is..." the panda eyed male mumbles and drinks some of the sweet tea Watari had brought to him.  
>"It is as though something in his subconscious has been awakened... perhaps he simply became tired of being a victim... he has lashed out before so such strength has always been in him... something has simply allowed this to be brought to the surface..."<p>

"The possibility that his own subconscious waking itself up seems to be very high indeed. I am aware of the previous outbursts and that under certain stressful conditions, he can be rather violent, but this confidence is a good thing. It is a manner of channeling that confidence into more positive stimuli that will keep him under control. As long as there are activities that he enjoys, I don't doubt he'll remain calm and positively motivated."

Back outside, 13 mice, 10 rats, 12 rabbits and 22 squirrels fell victim to Beyond's tirade, but his supply was starting to run low and his boredom was becoming apparent. This time the great canine came back empty handed, unable to find any more prey no matter how hard he tried. They sat down beside the pile of dead animals and tilted his head to the side curiously, wondering what his master wanted with so many dead animals.  
>"Hmm... Well that didn't take very long, but it was as fun while it lasted. We now have a problem... I think I have a spot for them... Don't touch the rest."<p>

He carries the rats and mice and finds a pile of rocks, removing them to reveal a small hollow. He tosses the rats and mice into the hollow and returning to carry loads of rabbits and squirrels and tosses those into the hollow before covering the corpses with more rocks.  
>"Let's head back for lunch, but no talking to anyone about this. This is purely our little secret." He makes a hush symbol and calls the dog to follow him back. As soon as the canine squeezed itself under the fence it started to race back to the boys room, barking and looking back every now and then to make sure the younger raven was following.<p>

B called Bear to his side to properly restrain him before leading it beside it so they could walk back to the room safely without incident. Inwardly, his morbid curiosity was not sated, it expanded and wanted more answers. He walked inside the room to see Watari and L finishing off a sentence in their discussion, though he never caught what it was.  
>"Hey Watari, hey Lawli."<p>

"Did you finish what you had to do?" the elder mumbled, taking another sip of his tea. L's demeanor was so perfect there was no way of telling that the previous topic he had just walked in on was in fact about him.  
>"We went rabbit hunting. I caught and killed 3 of them for him and he caught a couple others as well. I am training him to be a great hunter. One day, rabbits will only be on his menu, no more dry food for him. I got bored and walked back after we were done."<p>

"Ahh once I had a wonderful hunting dog, her name was Bonni and no rabbit or fox could escape her!" the elderly man declared, full of pride over his successes.  
>"You should keep that fact from A..."<br>"Why is that my boy?"  
>"She dispproves of hunting, she feels that it is most inhumane..."<br>"You should never pick up a gun if you are not confident you can kill the animal in one clean shot."

"She gets queasy enough when I have to snap rat necks as it is..." B removed the leash and collar from Bear and gave him a generous petting before sitting himself beside the older raven.  
>"I remember going pheasant hunting with you too Watari."<br>"Ahh but alas Bonni was in her senior years then and was not at her peak, you should have seen her when she was young!"

L sighed and shook his head slowly.  
>"A definitely would not approve of you turning her patient into a killer... best we keep this between ourselves... you know she can be... sensitive..."<br>"Ah, but she shouldn't be! Perhaps this young canine has hunting in its blood!"  
>"He most certainly does. He's even fetched me live rats for me to kill on sight. He's very good at it I must add."<p>

B knew this was not helping the situation, but Bear has proven himself to be a good hunter already, and a great aid in his experiments.  
>"In fact," he mused,<br>"I'd like for him to accompany me out more often. He's a great outdoor companion."  
>"I suppose it would be better for him as well to have the time to run around and exercise..." the elder raven mumbled, feeling slightly left out of what sounded like it was a lot of fun.<p>

"Watari, can Lawli and I go out camping tonight? We won't be gone far from the school grounds and it's only for tonight, I promise. I've seen the camping gear already in storage."  
>"Well if you're feeling up to it, why don't I take you back to my house and you may camp out there," the elderly male says with a smile.<br>"As you know my property is large and you can camp wherever you please without breaking rules... Roger does get upset with me when I allow you boys to bend them..."

"It's not Roger's building to dictate these things though, right? You personally adopted us and we're YOUR children. Then again, so is everyone else here, but you get my drift. Either way, I wouldn't mind camping out on your property. What say you Watson?"  
>"It's alright by me..." the dark eyed raven mumbled in reply.<br>"Ahh yes well you two are officially my children where as the others are 'in my care' there is a slight difference however ether way I would like to keep him appeased as he must run this place when I am away..."

"I understand, but it's already well known that he does not like us as it is. I swear he has it out on us... That aside, when can we be ready to leave?"  
>"Well we cannot leave until I have finished my work for the day so that will be around 7:30 tonight. Please come and see me in my office then."<br>"Very well then. Thank you Watari." B smiles and stands up, feeling very hungry from the morning's activities.  
>"I'm going to get some lunch, I'm starved."<p>

"Can you bring me some back Beyond?" the elder asks, sliding out of bed to stuff a fresh set of clothes into a bag.  
>"Not a problem Lawli." He winks at the older before trekking to the dining hall where about half the students were now seated. He takes a tray and two bowls, seeing a slightly heavier soup being offered as well as some sandwiches. He fills two half bowls since it was tomato with some vegetables. He inspects all the available sandwiches before settling on ones that would have to do before returning and walking inside.<br>"Not much for lunch today, but it's better than nothing."

"Oh I think I shall get myself something as well," the elderly male mumbled and gives a polite bow before leaving.  
>"That smells good..."<br>"Um.. but..." He didn't get to finish his statement and looked at the other half bowl and shrugged before pouring it into his. With a reluctant sigh, he digs a spoon into the soup and begins to eat his meal as quickly as he could manage. Halfway, a hallucination of the soup suddenly becoming like blood and the vegetables like entrails caused him to spit out the soup and toss it to the floor, missing Bear by a small area. He panted and tried to get calm over himself.

"What was that about?" the elder raven asked. There where a few signs of shock showing in his face, but his voice remained calm as usual. B's eyes were wide with fear and he backed up. His stomach gurgled and before he could answer, he disappeared into the bathroom to empty his guts.  
>*It's... It's not real... That didn't happen... It's not real...*<p>

L slowly got to his feet and padded after his friend, crouching down next to him by the toilet and silently rubbing his friends back. He knew he would talk when he was ready and until then he would not make any assumptions. The younger raven was shaking and breathing hard. He was trying to flush the image out of his head, but it stayed. He threw up more until he had nothing more to throw up before easing from the toilet and curling on the ground.  
>"Not real..." He murmured breathlessly.<p>

The dark eyed raven pulled his friend up to rest his back against his chest.  
>"Are you alright?" he whispered quietly, patiently waiting for a response.<br>"I... uh... no..." He managed after a while of being unable to generate an excuse.  
>"I just... had a really disturbing image that came out of nowhere..."<br>"Oh?" L wasn't sure what to make of this and he simply held his friend closer.  
>"It was too vivid... I had to tell myself over again in my head that it was not real, but it's still in there... I saw... I saw... blood... I was eating blood..."<p> 


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer and such in Chapter 1

Chapter 4

Something told the detective that this was not a good sign of his friends mental stability, however, he chose to ignore that part in favor of comforting his friend.  
>"I don't think I want to eat anything more..." The younger took a few heavy breaths and leaned over to flush the toilet before worming from his friend's grip and standing shakily before going to his bed and resting on it face first, still queasy and on edge.<br>"Would you like a cuddle, Beyond?" the elder asked quietly.

The younger nods slowly and moves himself to allow the older to climb on with him. A few tears escaped. It was far too real for his comprehension. He was genuinely afraid of what he'd seen, more so at the fact his own actions caused it. L climbed in and cuddled in close, rubbing his friend's back in an attempt to soothe and calm him.

After several minutes of sniffling and shaking, he eventually calmed down and simply lay in one spot, getting himself centered again.  
>"I'm... I'm fine... again..." he managed after a short time, liking the company more than anything, but reminding himself that he was supposed to be stronger for them both. He kissed the cheek of the older in thanks before parting.<br>"Are you sure?" the dark eyed raven asked quietly.  
>"I don't mind staying like this..."<p>

"Do you mind if I kiss your neck for a while then? It's comforting for me..." He edged to the crook and nuzzled in, waiting on the older's reply. L gave a soft hum and nod in response, enjoying the warm feeling. The younger raven lets out a small sigh before placing tender kisses to his favorite area of the detective. He closed his eyes and continued, feeling himself calm down further. The darker eyed raven shivered and enjoyed the sensation, closing his eyes gently.

B took his time and worked his way slowly to the other side of the older raven, gently rotating him to accommodate his trail of gentle lip attacks. L giggled slightly when a very sensitive and slightly ticklish area was found. B grinned before continuing his gentle assault, not leaving any part untouched by his lips. He allowed a temporary stall to assault that spot before continuing. It could be said that without using teeth, B was marking and claiming the older raven as his own. The detective enjoyed each soft touch and purred happy the entire time, pulling his friend close.

Eventually, B had covered the entire neck area and gave it a nuzzle before moving to kiss cheek and lips as his last spot.  
>"Thanks again," he breathed, cuddling in one more time and finishing his assault of lips to the older.<br>"I love you Lawli..."  
>"I love you too Beyond," the elder purred and he somehow was guided to rest his head on the younger's chest. The younger raven held him there, losing track of time in the comfortable silence, even falling into a short nap before waking a couple hours later.<p>

The elder's stomach growled loudly by now, unable to finish eating before and having an empty stomach from vomiting was doing him no good.  
>"You need to eat something Lawli... Lunch is over, but there are still sandwiches left. Have one..." L nodded and leaned over, taking the abandoned sandwich from his desk. Egg and lettuce wrapped in glad wrap so it would stay fresh should the students carry it off.<br>"Do you suppose it is still safe to eat?" he mused.  
>"It might be... but I'm not hungry anymore." The though of food made him feel a little ill.<p>

L slowly peeled back the wrapping and placed it back on the trey to, sniffing the sandwich before determining it was alright to eat and taking a small, curious nibble. Scarlet eyes looked to the food before he diverted his gaze, shuddering a little at the memory. He let out a huff and focused his gaze to Bear and offered a smile.

Bear was looking rather bored, giving a yawn and resting his head down on the ground lazily.  
>"He had a lot of excitement being my hunter today. I don't think he wants to stop this activity anytime soon."<br>"I agree, he seems to be quite a lot more fidgety now then before..." L mumbled around his sandwich.

"He's had his first taste of wild flesh too, so that could also apply. Speaking of him. A has not dropped in at all to check up on him. I can assume she's unofficially given him to us. It's nice, but not even he can fully replace Griffin, no matter how fun he is to be around."  
>"She does see him a lot during the day... I am sure she is happy with how we care for him... not to mention she has to many other pets of her own now with Smudge and god knows how many other mice..."<p>

"Nasty little vermin..." he muttered under his breath.  
>"I'm getting bored... I want something to do again. This morning promised good things and it was perfect, but now that's passed, I want something else to do."<br>"Perhaps you should pack..." the elder pointed out.  
>"It does not take me long, and I can do that an hour before we leave. I think I'll pay a visit to the art class and pick up and old project there instead, but you're still on me I see." He gently moves the older from himself before rolling over to stand up.<p>

The dark eyed raven pulls a slightly saddened expression at being moved from his friend's body. "But you're comfortable..."  
>"So are you, but as much as I would love to be underneath you until 7, I want to do something else. If nothing interests me, I'll come back for another cuddle, I promise." He smiles before taking his leave, directing his path to the arts room. L decided that entertainment comes in the form of a short game of fetch with the huge dog, making him run after his stuffed toy rabbit, almost running into walls in the small room.<p>

To B's dismay, the art room was closed, making him huff out a sigh before returning to the shared room. On the way, he redirected to the kitchen and sees that it seems to be clear for the moment and capitalizes on it, raiding the cupboards for more jam habitually before sneaking his prize out and away back to the safety of the room. The dog bouncing against the walls and barking loudly could be heard before B got anywhere near their room. The detective's game being anything but silent.

"Lawli sure is not taking his silence very seriously," he murmured to himself before opening the door and having the toy whiz by him. All too soon, he was then tackled and floored by massive dog, knocking the breath out of him.  
>"Ugh... Can't... breath... heavy... dog..."<br>"Are you alright Beyond?" the elder asked, looking down at his friend and the dog which quickly jumped off of him to chase after his toy.

"Ugh... I'm fine..." he muttered, seeing stars in his vision.  
>"Bear... you're too big and loud for small room games... you too Lawli..." He sat up slowly, wincing at the slight pain in his chest before standing up. He made sure the jam jars were spared before walking indoors slowly.<br>"We were bored..." the dark eyed raven stated bluntly.  
>"If you did not wish for us to destroy the place you should not have left us alone with this toy..." The great dog sat down in front of L and dropped the slobber covered toy into his lap.<p>

"Are you that lonely without me dearest? I'm touched." He blushed slightly before stashing his jars for packing later on.  
>"Always." The detective gave a small smile and dropped the toy back on the ground where the dog promptly begun to work it over with his teeth.<p>

B grinned mischievously when he stood back up and pulled the older into an embrace and began his gentle lip attacks to the older's neck anew, being specific about targeting his sensitive spots this time, applying increasing pressure until he got the sounds he desired from the dark eyed raven. L gave a soft moan and let himself be pushed back against his friends bed until he was laying on his back with his friend on top of him.

The scarlet eyed raven attacked each and every memorized sensitive location in a methodical manner, wanting to hear his friend, but knowing doing this could potentially bring about trouble for them. This no longer seemed to matter as a thought in his head told him that the world needs to hear that the sounds escaping are made by him.

More and more the soft sounds escaped, over and over again. The dark eyed raven closed his eyes and locked his hands in his friends hair. The younger raven paused in his attentions momentarily.  
>"Does that feel good Lawli?" he asked, wincing slightly at the pressure on his skull.<br>"Very..." the elder mumbled, almost pouting to show his disapproval of the pause.

B grinned and returned his attentions to the older raven's neck, finding the spot behind his ear that he was most responsive to and gradually increasing his kissing pressure there. The shivers, soft grunts and moans gradually started building up again and slowly L pulled him in closer. All of a sudden and on an impulse the elder wrapped his legs around the red eyed raven and brought their hips together sharply.

B inhaled and shivered lightly, but didn't stop his attentions, removing his friend's grip from his backside one leg at a time before shifting them farther up and straddling the older's hips. He didn't want to do that right now and would continue this gentle teasing with or without his friend's natural impulses. The dark eyed raven curled his toes and gave another soft moan, trying to resist the impulse to repeat his actions.

The scarlet eyed raven grinned at being able to do this to his friend. He snaked a hand downward and under the shirt of the older to massage and tickle the sensitive spots on the dark eyed raven's chest. On his neck, he began to gently nibble the sensitive spot and replace each one with a soft kiss. Over and over again the boy gave soft cries of pleasure and nipped kissed his friend back softly.

Using his memory of how his friend sounds, he decides to stop his teasing and stops his attentions, nuzzling the older raven's neck and leaning back to kneel over the other, panting lightly. With a soft smile, he dismounts the other and goes to fetch his overnight bag and getting his clothes packed. L lay there panting lightly for some time before turning his head to look over at his friend with a lazy expression.

"That felt good, didn't it? I'm going to eventually find out the right combination of sensitive spots to tickle and stimulate you. You sound very nice when those sounds escape. I like your voice Lawli." He removes some clothes and puts those and the jam jars into the bag before closing it and setting it back aside and climbing onto the bed to sit alongside the older raven.  
>"Very much so..." the elder whispers and pulled his friend down into a soft hug.<p>

B lets himself be hugged and lay off-side the older raven, enjoying the comfortable silence.  
>"You wanted to go further... I could tell," he murmured, a light blush covering his cheeks.<br>"It felt so good..." the elder mumbled quietly and started playing with his friend's hair.  
>"It always feels good. We can finish off what I started at Watari's when we camp out there," he suggested, leaning into the touch and cuddling into his friend.<p>

"Do you think I will be alright?" he asked and nuzzled in closer, "I hope I don't get sicker..."  
>"We'll be well prepared for this trip. I don't think we'll have any issues. Watari will make sure that our space is warm since he knows you're still not at your best."<br>"Alright, though the snow does bother me a little..." he mumbles and takes a deep, calming breath.  
>"We will not be in it for long and we can request a time for Watari to fetch us." He nuzzles the older raven's neck and places more soft kisses, but no more than that.<p>

"It should be fun..." the elder mumbled and tugged at the boys hair. The younger raven chuckled lightly.  
>"Still very sensitive," he murmured. There was another small nod and then the dark eyed raven buried his head in his friend's neck under his chin and sighed contentedly.<p>

Time had passed and before either of them knew it, 7:00 had come around. B opened an eye lazily, having been teasing the older raven's sensitive spots again before stopping and panting lightly.  
>"Watari is almost ready to leave for the day Lawli," he murmured with a lazy smile. The elder gave a wordless nod and with that he slowly pulled himself up and collected together his things.<p>

B took his bag and directed his path to Watari's office, a light sort of glow emanating from him from the teasing. He knocked on the door and let himself inside, seeing some camping gear in the space already. He sat down and waited patiently. L too sat himself down in his usual, gargoyle-like fashion to await their adopted father.

Soon the elderly man came in to see his boys ready and waiting.  
>"Watari..." the older raven mumbled.<br>"Good to see that the both of you are ready at last. I just have to go over with one more thing with Roger before we can leave. If you both are willing to, you can take some of this gear out to my vehicle outside and wait for me."

"That won't be a problem..." L slowly got to his feet and padded over to the gear, throwing two bags over his back as well as his own bag. The younger follows close behind, taking the large tent bag and going outside; setting his bags next to the car and huddling close to his friend for warmth. The dark eyed raven moves in closer to his friend, shielding him slightly from the wind with his body.

"It will be nice to get away from here. I feel so constricted sometimes." He shivers slightly, seeing Watari's form still inside Roger's office. L nodded slowly and tucked his cold hands under each arm pit to keep himself warm.  
>"One day I would like you to come away with me... We can make a life for ourselves."<br>"I'd like that... I want to see the world, do things that we can't do here." He leaned up slightly to nuzzle a neck, watching Watari's form disappear a little bit later.  
>"I'd go anywhere you go. I'd protect us from people like H and V and E... or should I say Chester, Francesca and Gregory..."<br>"I am thankful for that..." the elder whispered and let his head lay down on his friends shoulder.

B looked on while Watari appeared a little later with the last of the items and approached the pair, unlocking the trunk and putting the items inside with the help of the others.  
>"I apologize for taking longer than usual, but Roger needed to address some minor and important matters." He unlocks the back door to let the boys inside before going to the front and letting himself inside. B let the older inside before going in after him. L moved all the way along the seat and buckled himself in, watching his friend climb in after him and giving a small smile as the engine roars to life.<p>

"I will accompany you to set up your tent and other items before I go into my home," said the gentleman as they moved.  
>"Is there a time that you'd like for me to come around in the morning?"<br>"Hmm... whenever is ok, but if you're not doing anything tomorrow, can we come inside and join you for breakfast?"  
>"Yes of course."<br>"Can you make those strawberry pancakes I like so much?" The elder sparked upon the mention of breakfast.

"Yes, I can make whatever you want," he said with a smile. He backs out and begins the trip back to his property set in the large countryside. B smiled and leaned into the detective. L rested his head down on his friend's shoulder once more and closed his eyes.


	6. Watari's 2

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 86

L stood next to the car and waited for their adopted father to come back.  
>"Do you think there will be puppies again this time?" He knew that Wataris dogs where worth a small fortune each due to their perfect blood lines.<p>

"I don't doubt it. He's been breeding them for many years on the side of his other ventures. He truly loves dogs and it shows. Bonni is probably the grandmother or great grandmother of these dogs he breeds now." He looks to see names and numbers of a few other people on the inside, probably assistants and the like.

"I want to see them before we go out..." the detective mumbled with a small smile.  
>"They're always so cute..."<p>

"We'll ask him then," he replied with a grin of his own. A little while later, their adoptive father was seen walking around being trailed by the older male dog who growled softly.

"Watari, do you have any new puppies that you are selling at the moment?"

"There are about 3 left from this litter that are still looking for new homes."  
>"May we go inside to see them?"<p>

"Please Watari." Both boys looked up the elderly gentleman with puppy dog eyes, pleading to go in and play with the small and still fun guard dogs before they became working animals for police or as guard animals.

"Of course, my home is your home. You're more than welcome." The eternally patient elder smiled and walked to his door, unlocking it and letting the pair inside before following suit.

"Please remove your footwear and hang up your coats. I will let you see them as soon as you are done this."

L looked down at his bare feet and then up at Watari whom he assumed would know that even in the snow he refused to wear socks.

The younger hung his coat and hopped out of his sneakers, wiggling his toes before looking to Watari.

"I will get a towel, please wait here." The pair look as the older male makes a quick trip to the nearest bathroom and returns with two hand towels.  
>"You may use these to dry your feet," he stated before standing offside and waiting patiently. B took one towel and bent down to start drying his feet meticulously.<p>

L giggled slightly and lifted his foot for his friend, enjoying the contact though it tickled slightly.

B took his time, inwardly giggling at his finding more ticklish locations. When one foot was done, he set it down and began on the other, being just as careful as the last one. After this, he stood up and took the other towel and sat down to begin drying off his own feet at last.

L smiled and turned to Watari.  
>"Can we see those puppies now? Or maybe some hot chocolate? You make the best hot chocolate... not like the cook at Wammy's... "<p>

The kindly gentleman smiled and led the pair to a holding area where 3 German Shepard pups were yipping and playing amongst each other; 2 females and a male.  
>"I will return with cocoa as requested." He smiles and takes his leave. B sees a little latch gate and walks to it.<br>"They are beautiful pups Lawli," he said with a smile.

The panda walks in behind and closes the gate, each puppy finishing its game appon seeing the boys and running over to inspect the new arrivals, sniffing at their feet.  
>"They are..." L almost whispers and gets down in his usual crouch to pet them.<p>

B picks one up and cradles it for a short while, getting a yip in response to the sudden loss of ground. He looks into its eyes and sees a long life for it and smiled.  
>"They all look like they'll be making their humans happy for some time," he remarked, not responding to the rescue effort that its sibling was doing for it.<p>

"They will probably be successful working animals, or perhaps pets or guard dogs..." the elder mumbled.  
>"With such good genetics, it would be nearly impossible for them not to have success..."<br>"Any dog can be a successful dog," Watari stated and smiled, putting the tray of cocoa up on the coffee table.  
>"It is the human who makes the mistakes that turn them aggressive, overexcited or skittish... very few animals are born with issues though there are a few whom are born... wired incorrectly... those that can never be tamed, they're few and far between..."<p>

"They call those kinds throwbacks, isn't that right Watari?" B sets the pup down and rubs its belly playfully, letting the sibling pup play along.  
>"I agree that the human makes the animal aggressive or otherwise. I imagine that you even require certain paperwork to ensure these pups are going to the best care possible."<p>

"Indeed, I ensured that each of their brothers and sisters went to homes with experienced handlers. The one I sent to a pet home as she was far to quiet for use as a working dog was de-sexed before leaving which helps as well. One is going to be used in the police force as a K9 officer and the other was sold to a breeder as her coat was near perfect!"

"Where is their mother?" the dark eyed raven asked, looking around to try and find the pure black animal that usually was slinking around somewhere near the puppies.

"She's in the kennel with the other ones. She's helping Talmut train the older pups that I'm keeping so they may be sold off to a very special group of people: Her Majesty's royal guard." He smiled wider and it was clear that this was a very important and uplifting thing for the elder.

The elder nodded and gave him another small smile, scooping up the puppy that was nearest to him. "Who will guard your home when they go? Just Talmut alone? Or do you intend to use these puppies for that?" L had trouble picturing such cute and innocent babies growing to be as intimidating as Watari's other dogs.  
>"I heard you talking on the phone with someone about 'importing a bitch from Germany'"<p>

"Talmut is not the only one keeping guard. He's taking the older pups for training mostly. I have Maximillian, Redwall and Georgia sent to a friend of mine to assist in the Police training. She will return them to me within a week from today. As for the bitch, you would be correct. I intend to keep her for more breeding as her line is pure and unrelated to the pack I keep here. If I do not get any offers by the time the rest of my team returns then I will raise and train them all to be guards. Specifically the older female, she is stockier than the rest."

B stood up and walked out of the holding pen, making a trip to the cocoa and taking a cup and having a sip.  
>"Your Bonni that you spoke of so fondly, would she be the grandmother or great grandmother of one of your pups here?"<br>"Why that would be correct. Talmut is Bonni's great grandson and is the spitting image of her."

"I have to wonder Watari..." the elder boy mumbled, putting the puppy down to get the hot drink. "Are there dogs like Rue and I? Ones born simply more intelligent than others? I remember reading an article that said that genius often comes at the price of other issues, for instance my inability to sleep. Perhaps those 'throwbacks.' are simply too intelligent..." there was a hidden question here, one relating to the aggression seen in his friend recently. Could he really have been born with an aggressive streak? Perhaps 'miswired' in some way?

"Throwbacks are more instinctive and their brains are wired more for survival. This includes learning to fight only when necessary, feeding whenever they can, even at the cost of stealing from others. Some may feel they should procreate to keep their genes going as a method of survival. Sometimes being a more instinctual being can appear to give the appearance of a higher intelligence. To survive means to have smarts that no one else has, but they are difficult to raise if not handled the right way."

"So perhaps these throw backs are more like us then the others..." L took a sip of the coco and looked down at the wrestling puppies once more.  
>"How is it that you deal with these throwbacks then?"<p>

"They are usually donated to high security property. Donated because I cannot train them and their facilities are more suited to this purpose. Are you comparing yourself to a throwback then my boy?"

"Perhaps..." the elder mumbled and finished the drink before pulling a puppy onto his lap again. "It could be why I am this way... I have always thought that my intellect has come at the cost of my 'normality'."


	7. Camping 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 87

"I'm sure there are others who can say the same, like Einstein for instance. Brilliant genius, but there are those who thought he was insane with his ideals." B sipped his cocoa slowly.  
>"Yes, but when he proved his genius, it outdid the insanity."<p>

"Now I am truly curious about my own breeding... Perhaps there is a way to create humans whose intellect is high and behave perfectly for there positions..." the elder mumbled.  
>"Though maybe it is as you said and it is not breeding but how you are raised..."<p>

"I'm sure that genetics play a major role in intellect. Intelligent parents create intelligent children. B is a rarity in the sense that his parents seemed to show no intellect, but his intelligence is very strong. I don't doubt there are many like yourself. Wammy's is a proof of this. If there are other orphans like the ones we harbor there, then I'm sure they will be great additions."

L nodded and looked down at the little puppy in his arms.  
>*Perhaps then Beyond's aggression is a form of throwback, if his intellect is not directly from his parents...*<p>

The wild raven finished his cocoa and went to pet the pup in L's arms.  
>"Thank you for letting us camp out here by the way Watari. It was nice of you to suggest it."<br>"Anytime my boy. Are the both of you ready to go back out?"

"Yes..." the elder mumbled and let the wriggling creature lose.  
>"I wish we could live here with you Watari..."<p>

"I intend to give this place to you when you're both 18. This place will become yours then." B's eyes widened.  
>"But why can't we stay here with you now Watari? I know we're in your will, but Wammy's is too constricting... I don't like being there anymore..."<p>

"Neither do I... I have reasons that are my own..." the elder mumbled and looked away.

"I'm sorry, but for the purposes of education and because the both of you are creating and solving things at the orphanage and you are currently registered there until the age of independence, I cannot move you from there. If things turned out any different, you would be here instead of there." B felt the beginnings of rage, but took a breath and looked away.

"It isn't fair..." the detective mumbled.  
>"You promised my mother and father you would give me a home but all we have there are beds... it is quite miserable at the bottom of the food chain..."<p>

"I would like to give you that home, I honestly would, but-"  
>"Then please Watari... Take us home with you... Please..." He curled his fists and took a shuddering breath.<p>

L shuffled towards his friend and put his arms around him, resting a chin on his shoulder. He remained silent, knowing this was the best and only way to calm him.

The elder male looked a little conflicted for some time, but it was not lifting Beyond's mood any more. He leaned into the embrace.  
>Watari was not willing to accept the string of rumors that have been coming from Roger that have been about his sons as of late. He did not necessarily like homosexual activities that these rumors are stemming from, but at the same time, they are rumors and they should be ignored. He did remember what happened back a few months and could not support or deny these rumors of further activities.<p>

"You alright?" the elder asked quietly once his friend's body seemed to relax slightly.

"Not really..." B whispered in reply, wanting more than anything right now than to nuzzle the older raven. He looked to their father and gave a sad, pleading look.  
>"Please Watari..."<br>"I'll try to see what can be done. Are you sure you want to do this though?"

"We do want to study there Watari..." the elder mumbled, "but you must understand that we are tormented..."

"We don't get a break from the other students. They constantly talk and spread these outrageous rumors. They find reasons to hurt us and the staff and Roger don't do anything about it. Roger tends to favor the other students rather than us..." He did nuzzle the older then, wanting that comfort it brought.

"Like the time H put firecrackers in our room and let them off... we PROVED he did it yet nothing happened..."

"Or the time Z and V sabotaged our team science project. Everyone knew it was them, and just like every other time, nothing was ever done... They hate us Watari... They hate us because they are jealous of what we have and... they don't care about what happens to us..."  
>"A cares very deeply about the both of you though."<br>"She's one against an army..." he murmured, nuzzling more.

"A is different... she cares for everyone..." L mumbles, "and we care for her, she is very good to us... but its still only her... and she can't defend us, merely try and make it easier on us..."

"I've been addressing these things to Roger, but I can see that with your half of the story that nothing has been getting done and I sincerely do apologize that you've been put under such suffrage until now." B diverted his gaze.  
>"I want to go outside..." he murmured.<p>

"Yeah..." L slowly pulled his friend to his feet and walked him to the little gate.

"If it's of any comfort, you are allowed to stay an extra night if you wish. I just have some things I must take care of here for another day and I could be post-poned."  
>"It does not matter to me," replied the younger, holding his friend close.<p>

"But a comfortable bed would be nice... and a bath..." the elder mused, remembering how uncomfortable his bed at Wammys was. He could feel every spring!

The elder looked thoughtful for a short time.  
>"Would you perhaps like to take a room in here instead of going outside my boys? I leave it open to you after all."<p>

"Beyond wants to camp tonight though maybe tomorrow we can?" the elder mumbled, looking at his friend as if to assess whether or not he wanted this.

"I want to go outside," B repeated, looking to the door.  
>"My adventurous nature will not allow this to be passed up."<p>

L nodded in agreement though he still longed to soak in a hot bath for a while rather than the short showers he was used to and the fact that there tree house was more comfortable then there normal beds made it even harder for him to relax.

"Very well then. I'll let you pick out a location and then we can set up the tent for you."  
>"Thank you Watari..." B makes the trip to the doorway and removes his jacket before putting that on before his sneakers.<p>

L puts his thick jumper back on but once again remains completely bare footed, waiting by the door for his friend.

The elder male opens the door and lets the pair out, following them and walking to the car with a flashlight and unlocking the trunk. The pair grab the items they can carry while Watari does the same.  
>"Where do you want to go set it up my son?"<br>B scanned the whole of the property and spotted a location that was far away, yet still close enough to the home that should there be an emergency it would be accessible to them.

"That spot over there will do."

L followed his friend to where he wanted to set up the tent almost dropping what he was carrying when one of Watari's huge dogs, and the only one still roaming free, came up behind him to sniff.


	8. Camping 2

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 88

"Talmut, why is Juno following behind? I thought I locked her in there with the others." B stops and looks behind him, tensing for a brief moment before relaxing again.  
>"She's getting smarter. Juno is a half-throwback. She's trainable, but she's incredibly skittish at most others. I'm surprised she's not reacted in her usual way."<p>

L reached out his free hand slowly and the dog gave it a quick sniff, a little lick and a nudge however when he extended his reach further she jumped back slightly as though startled.  
>"How long will it be before she can go to a proper owner?"<p>

"It could take a long time and the home she could go to would need to be housing only a mature couple or single with a lot of experience with skittish animals." B let the younger female sniff at him, but he made no move to interact in any way, using his knowledge of dog behavior to dictate his interactions around them.  
>"Talmut, I need you to take her back to the kennel. I will join you later."<p>

Even with the elder dogs attempts to move the female she seemed to resist which was unusual for any of Watari's animals.  
>"How did she escape the kennels anyway?" L asked once the canine finally followed its master.<p>

"She's been watching me and the other people here at how we open the kennels. Throwbacks are survivalists and to be one means to be highly observant sometimes. She's learned to do that well. Sadly, we can't do anything to stop her from watching and thus, she's escaped more than once."

*That sounds like Beyond...* The elder nodded and continued unpacking, now slightly more watchful for the creatures potentially running lose in the snowy yard.

B helped along, having been paying attention to everything that had been exchanged. Setting up the tent was not difficult in the least, taking no more than 10 minutes and moving the sleeping bags, blankets, pillows and overnight bags inside.  
>"If Juno comes to investigate, do not be afraid. She's only curious and means no harm unless you threaten her first. She may bark out of anxiety, but no more than that. I'll go to lock her up though before she gets out of hand."<p>

"I don't mind..." L mumbled, unrolling his sleeping bag.  
>"Beyond is very good with dogs and I am sure he can keep things under control..."<p>

"I know their language pretty well at least. I'm sure she'll be fine. You can let her run around. I think she'd like that actually."  
>"Alright, I'll trust then that she'll not be too much of a problem then."<br>"It should be fine." B unrolled and unzipped his sleeping bag and unfolded a blanket to cover it, putting his pillow down before looking to their father.  
>"Is there a way to warm the tent a little? Lawli is still a little ill."<br>"I do have something that I've been wanting to try out now that you mention it. I have a kind of gel encased in rubber that when activated by pressure to it, will begin to heat up. I've tested it myself and have found that it lasts for about 5-7 hours. I will fetch them for you."

This piqued L's interest and he was very curious to try his adopted father's latest trial, setting up his own sleeping bag right next to Beyond's and waiting patiently.

The younger raven wasted no time and opened his overnight bag, removing his night clothes and changing into them as quickly as the weather allowed him to. Time passed before Watari was seen again, carrying 4 medium sized rubber tubes that were dark in color. He arranged them just off to the side and pressed a palm down sharply. The reaction was almost instantaneous, heat slowly being radiated outward.

"Those are fascinating Watari..." the elder mumbled, creeping over to one and investigating it.

B tilted his head curiously and poked at one, withdrawing slightly as if he expected it to bite him back. He went back in to poke it before repeating the action of his adoptive father and jumping back again. He placed a palm to the tube and felt warmth from it.  
>"Curious..." he murmured.<br>"I'm glad that you approve. It took over 2 years to develop and another year to test and adjust. These take time. I have plenty other things, minor and major that I am working on."

L noted that they where almost soft and started stroking it as though it where some kind of cat. "It's soft..."

"Yes, it's made for heat and comfort. Honestly, I have more medical plans for them as emergency heating packs for people who are suffering hypothermia. Sadly, they were still not up to par when you had your accident."  
>"That's unfortunate, but Lawli is getting better. He's strong."<p>

"These would be quite useful in a situation similar to what we were in..." the elder mumbled and looked to Beyond, "or at least from what I am told... I do not remember much more then a blur... and Rue does not like to speak on it... I would like to know however..."

"I know only what Beyond and A have shared. Like with you, he was unwilling to share the experience as it was... traumatic for him."  
>"It still hurts... I still feel guilty about it..." He began to make a nest for himself from the blankets and sleeping bags, earning a curious look from Watari.<p>

"I still wish to understand..." the elder mumbled...  
>"A says nothing, only that she thought I was going to die when she found us..."<p>

"You were dying Lawli... You were dying in my arms..." He sniffled lightly and continued his nest building until it was to par.  
>"If A didn't come around when she did... I've no doubt you would have died..."<p>

L nodded slowly, knowing that was the only answer he would get right now even if he was thirsty for details.

B moved himself under the nest and curled into a ball. He didn't want to remember that, not out here where the settings were all too similar.

"What more do you know Watari..." the elder asked quietly before their father left.

"He didn't stop apologizing to you and seemed genuinely convinced your near death experience was his fault," was the quiet reply.

L nodded and laid down.  
>"Thank you Watari..." he mumbled.<br>"Goodnight."

"Good night. I will see you in the morning my boys." The elderly male closed the tent and took his leave, making his way back to the estate.  
>B curled tighter into his ball and held the blankets around himself.<p>

L unzipped his sleeping bag, then without asking opened his friends as well, zipping them both up together with himself and Beyond inside the now large bag. He cured up against his friend and kissed his neck.

"Thank you... for saving my life..."

"I'm sorry for making you sick Lawli... I should have stayed home..." He had closed his eyes and edged back slightly.

"I should have gone with you to begin with..." he whispered.  
>"I waited until it stormed... I should have been there for you..."<p>

"I was having a bad day... I took it out on you and you became hurt because of me..." He wanted to nuzzle the older, but the guilt was there now and it stopped him.

"But you saved me... I may not know how and though I want to know specifics I do know that I'm only breathing now because you and A didn't give up on me..."

"We were lucky that A came when she did... I had to use only the basic knowledge of what do to and you were barely hanging on..."

"Will you tell me?" the elder asked and pulled his friend even closer.  
>"I know you still feel bad and maybe it will help you to talk about it?"<p> 


	9. Affection 5

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

A/N: Mature content next Part.

Part 89

The younger raven shook his head.  
>"I don't want to... Not right now..." He shivered lightly from the closer contact. He suddenly wanted his jam and wriggled from the older's grip and wormed around until he could peak out and reach for his bag and dig out the confection. He retreated back inside.<p>

L looked into the other end of the sleeping bag where two red eyes now peaked out, a slight slurping sound now coming from his friend.  
>"You are like a little fox in a burrow..." he commented, watching his friend eat though he could only see the faint glow the eyes gave off.<p>

Scarlet eyes returned the dark eyed gaze while sucking jam from his fingers. He looked at the jar in his hands and dunked his fingers inside before sticking them out towards his friend as an offering.

The older gave a small smile and leaned in to lick the jam from his friend's fingers carefully.

"I'm truly sorry Lawli..." he said as he watched his friend clean his fingers of the sticky jam. He set the jar aside and took his friend's hand and dunked fingers in there and returned the favor.

L giggled slightly at the tickling feeling.  
>"It's alright... I already told you..."<p>

The younger dunked his friend's fingers in again and repeated the process. He was still guilty and told himself that doing this would remove his inner pain.

The panda closed his eyes slowly and he took a deep breath. He took a deep breath and enjoyed the feeling as strange as it was.

Scarlet eyes looked into closed orbs and tilted his head curiously, but decided he would continue this task. He dunked the fingers again, sucking as slowly as he usually did.

L purred quietly.  
>"It feels good..." L mumbled.<br>"Strange, but good..."

Those words were familiar and it made a hint of a smile quirk at his lips. He repeated the process once the fingers were clean and opted to lick the jam off meticulously.

The elder was lulled into something that resembled meditation though he was still very much aware of Beyond and his movements.

When half the jar was gone, B dabbed his own finger into the jar then dabbed it onto the older's cheek and leaned in to lick it off. Deciding he liked doing this, he did it again to another spot and repeated the process.

This sent tingles all down the dark eyed raven's back making him shudder and lean in.

B smiled and dabbed until the jam was completely off his finger and licked and lightly sucked the sweet from every spot the jam was on.

Once he was done L leaned down to rest on his friends chest, completely content.

B petted the older raven's hair, lightly sucking jam from his other hand.  
>"Lawli... can I kiss your neck some more?" He was not quite over his guilt and though the little distraction was nice, it didn't lift the guilt.<p>

"You don't have to ask..." the elder purred and gave his friend a soft kiss.

The younger raven flipped their positions carefully and began his slow attack of soft kisses, licking now and then and holding the older raven close.

L smiled and closed his eyes once more to enjoy the feeling.

The kisses were tender and impossibly soft as always. He looked to the jam jar still open and decided after he was calm that he would eat more jam from his friend's body.

The older wrapped his arms around his friend and tugged at his hair softly.


	10. Mature Part 6

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

A/N: Mature Content

Part 90

The tension sent strange tingles and he unconsciously implored more of the action with a light nibble to behind the ear.

Another soft tug of the hair brought the two raven's lips together, L slightly sucking at the soft flesh for a heated moment.

The younger raven moaned softly, returning the kiss and adjusting his head to let the older rub his ears. In the moment, he rubbed their lower bodies together very slowly before stopping.

There was a breathy sound that escaped L but it never quite got further then that when his friend stopped seemingly half way to the detectives confusion.

B returned his attentions to the neck area until he'd calmed down enough, looking down to see a slightly flustered older raven and tilting his head curiously.

"Why did you stop when it started feeling so good?" the elder asked curiously.

The younger lifted himself up slightly, bracing his weight on his arms and teasingly rubbed against his friend.  
>"Like that?" he asked with a grin.<p>

Another one of those soft, breathless sounds escaped and a small nod.

B looked to his jam jar and wormed a hand over before dunking 2 fingers inside and offering them to the older. Only when they were accepted would he begin to rub again.

L slowly sucked on his friends fingers, letting his tongue swirl around them as the sweet taste mixed with the soft grinding.

B grinned fondly, keeping his pace at a teasingly slow one, just because he wanted to watch his friend enjoying the two things they've shared. A slight pant and shiver ran through him, but he did not stop until his fingers were cleaned so the process could begin anew.

The longer this went on the more L enjoyed it. Seeming to become more excited with each new round.

With every new round, B would tease with a slightly faster pace or slightly more pressure. This continued until there was a little jam left. B dug out the remaining contents and poured that over his friend's chest after exposing it, leaning in to lick and suck the confection off, not stopping the grinding in the least.

This got a full, deep and loud moan, the contact being too much to bear quietly.

This sent a gratifying shiver down B's spine and when everything was cleaned, he went back to the neck, attacking the sensitive locations and grinding harder. He dug between them and reached inside pants to palm his friend, letting the small grunts and muffled moans get louder as he lost himself in the familiar act.

L was trying his best to stay quiet, not wanting to have a worried guard dog charging into their tent to see what the noise was about.

B paused his attentions to the neck, hearing the stifled sounds his friend was trying not to release and decided then to bring their mouths together. He didn't know what this would accomplish, but some inner instinct told him that this is what he should be doing and held his friend's head close to his own, moans and grunts still muffled effectively as he kissed him.

There L softly sucked his lip for a moment then automatically parted his lips slightly for the younger, something he would never understand driving him rather then thought.

The younger raven slowed the speed of his grinding when this occurred, even slowing the pace of which he palmed and stroked his friend, a response that he never anticipated. Letting instinct and hormones guide him, he timidly deepened the kiss, letting his tongue gradually invade the mouth of the older raven, letting his free hand run through raven locks. The harsh moans had softened considerably into something more breathy.

Dark eyes closed softly, letting his friend who gradually became more and more confident explore his mouth for a few moments before parting breathlessly.

"You taste very sweet," he murmured against the older raven's lips, placing soft kisses there and licking at the bottom one lightly.

"I'm glad..." the elder breathed back, his usual monotone replaced by something far more heated.

With his higher confidence and curiosity nowhere near satisfied, B licked at the detective's lips, silently asking for entry once more, pressing his lower half closer to the other as a natural response.

L shivered visibly and allowed the younger in once more, closing his eyes once more as he enjoys the feeling.

The scarlet eyed raven left nothing in the older's mouth untasted. He then found the tongue and sucked that into his mouth, tasting it and letting the older taste him in return.

L carefully moved around himself though not with the same confidence his friend had, enjoying the feeling.

The younger parted breathlessly and made an adjustment to his lower half and rolled his hips in, pressing them both together, this he did less harshly and at a casual pace, feeling out his body's responses as he gets closer to that edge. Soft moans escaped and he continued.

There was nothing about their actions that the elder understood completely. It was just too good to stop and he pulled his friend in closer.

While grinding anew, B kissed parts of the older raven's face lovingly. Between their heated bodies, the younger stopped his palming and freed the heated flesh, his hand slippery with the clear fluid. He paused momentarily to free his own heated length and brought them together and resumed, shivering at the new sensation of heated flesh against heated flesh.

The new feeling brought more pleasure and quickly had the elder climax, arching his back slightly into the younger before collapsing in exhaustion.

B opted to finish himself off, stroking and releasing into his hand with a low moan before collapsing on his friend, utterly spent. He lay on the older raven, panting heavily and petting black hair, getting himself back to normal.

L lazily ran his hand over the others back as he recovered, breathing heavily. He was tired. Exhausted.

When the haze cleared, B rolled off, but pulling the older with him. Out of curiosity, he brought up the substance and gave it an experimental lick, making a disgusted face at the salty bitterness of it. He wiped it on his pants before cuddling into the older.

"Why did you lick it?" the dark eyed boy asked, slightly amused at the expression his younger friend pulled.

"I wanted to know what it tasted like... it comes out of us and I thought it would taste sweet too. It's salty..." He shuddered and tried to get the taste from his mouth.

L gave a small snort of laughter, unable to do anything more in his exhaustion.  
>"Urine also comes out of us and you do not taste that..."<p>

He pouted and lightly punched the older.  
>"But urine and... this stuff are of different consistencies. Urine is a fluid, this isn't. Urine flows, this stuff comes out in small bursts and is thicker and stickier..."<p>

"Tasting it still never crossed my mind..." The elder rubbed his arm, even if the punch was playful.

"I would not recommend it. I solved that for the both of us..." He nearly gagged, having decided to swallow the taste that was in his mouth.

"Well thank you then I suppose..." the elder took a deep breath and cuddled back into his friend, unsure if he would be accepted back into his arms just yet.


	11. Innocence 26

Disclaimer and such in Part 1

Part 91

B pulled the blankets over them, keeping the heat inside, despite the fact that they also had the warmed tubes near them as well. He pulled the older into a hug and closed his eyes, letting sleep take over him.

L did not last much longer then his friend, their vigorous activity exhausting him though he would wake up long before his friend.

The blackness in B grew a little bit that evening, its poison seeping slowly into his mind, making him a little more bolder and outspoken than the previous time.

L saw his friend slowly open his eyes sometime early in the morning. Immediately giving a soft kiss to brighten the mood.

The younger raven returned the gesture and nuzzled a cheek tiredly.  
>"Morning Lawli," he murmured, sleep still tainting his words.<p>

"Good morning..." In the young raven's mind there was nothing more beautiful then his friend waking up in the morning.

Scarlet orbs slowly opened and peered into dark ones. He smiled tiredly and gave another soft kiss before cuddling into the older's chest.

"It's very early..." the elder informed him, looking over to the heating tubes, "and those seem to have stopped working..."

"That's unfortunate..." he murmured in reply against a chest.  
>"We'll have to tell Watari this, unless they are intentionally not supposed to last long..." He yawned softly and cuddled closer still.<p>

"He did say five hours..." the elder mumbled, "which seems to be about right..."

B only nods in reply before reluctantly removing himself from his friend, worming a hand out to his bag and removing the other jam jar. He pulls it in and opens the jar, taking a welcome bite into red sweetness with a grin before offering his friend some.

L shook his head slowly.  
>"I'm not feeling so well Beyond..." he mumbled, but gave a small smile so that his friend would not be too concerned.<p>

The younger nods in some understanding and continues to enjoy his treat, slurping slowly before gulping the contents down.  
>"What's wrong?" he asked after he'd licked the last bit of jam from his mouth.<br>"Are you still feeling ill?"

"A little, though I feel right now that if I were to eat something that it make me feel worse..." It was just a slight discomfort, but L had no desire to risk it.

"Understood..." He was going to say something further when he realized something, making his eyes widen slightly.  
>"Lawli... we kissed with our tongues. My tongue was in your mouth... I think I may have unintentionally caught your illness..."<p>

L shook his head slowly.  
>"I do not think so, I am sure what I had was something to do with eating some form of spoiled food... still..."<p>

"I'd rather not take that risk of knowing it might have been a small virus. My immunity isn't as strong as yours... If I get ill, it might actually be worse than you had it..." The thought sent a shudder down his spine.

L ran his fingers through the younger boys hair.  
>"I'm sorry..." he whispered, "I doubt that you will get ill but we will keep you warm and safe for the next three days... alright?"<p>

"It's ok... we were caught up in the moment and it was nothing we could have done to prevent it. You really do taste sweet though Lawli. It's a nice flavor you have." He smiled shyly at this.

The elder continued stroking his friend's hair happily, a warm smile creeping across his face.  
>"I'm glad you approve..."<p>

"I usually approve no matter what you do..." He smiled back and then yawned softly, still feeling drowsy somewhat.  
>"I love you Lawli... more than life... more than Watari... more than the things we do..."<p>

"I feel the same..." the dark eyed raven purred back, pulling him closer and giving him a soft kiss on the forehead, "and I always will..."

A soft smile appeared and he edged back into a light sleep, nuzzling into the older raven's chest and breathing deep and evenly.

L watched over his friend while he slept, keeping him warm and safe as the tent slowly became colder.

For a brief time while he slept, B lightly sucked at chest skin, but stopping after the brief time had passed before edging back into wakefulness. Red eyes fluttered open again and he yawned softly stretching and shaking sleep from his person.

By now the dark eyed raven was starting to feel the cold, shivering when his friend moved and let the cold air in between them.

"We should put on our same clothes before we go in and shower..." B murmured, shivering a little at the cooler air around them and edging back to his friend and pulling the blankets closer.

"Definitely..." the elder agreed, enjoying the warmth for a moment longer before getting up and getting changed as quickly as possible.

The younger followed suit until he was fully clothed, but opting to wrap himself in a blanket still, unwilling to leave the warmth right away. He pulled the older into an embrace and wrapped the blanket around them.

L cuddled in thankfully, watching the shadow of a dog move outside the walls of the tent and wondering which one it was...

B decided to use his vocal talents to communicate with the dog outside. He used a sound that he knew addressed he was friend and not foe and listened for the animal's response.

The animal outside barked loudly and its shadow was quickly joined by others.

"I think they are all out..." the elder mumbled, watching them investigate their tent.

"Wait here..." murmured B, removing the blanket and putting on his jacket and adopting a four legged posture.  
>"Whatever happens, do not interfere..." He stopped speaking then and opened the door of the tent, growling defensively before edging out, repeating the sound and growling defensively once more.<p>

The dogs moved to sniff the boy before the older dog moved in front and sent them all back, sniffing B for a moment and remembering that it was Watari who brought him in, and therefore was allowed in their territory.

B gave an appreciative yip sound and edged closer to the older male, nuzzling it like a pup would before backing inside.  
>"It's fine Lawli, we're accepted already."<p>

"It's interesting to see how one dog can control so many other powerful animals so easily..." the elder mumbled, "though I find cats easier to understand..."

"Talmut is the Alpha male in this pack. He commands respect here. I gave him and his pack respect by not doing anything threatening to them and telling them that I'm a friend and not a foe. He told them to back off and I thanked him."

L tilted his head to the side.  
>"Bear looks at me as though I am crazy when I try to speak to him..."<p>

"I don't think Bear understands humans well enough. Talmut, his pack and Bear communicate better with actions than words." He smiled a little then peaked outside to the home, seeing that there was some activity inside already.  
>"Did you want to go inside Watari's home?"<p>

"It will be warm there..." He was already picturing the warming fire and more hot chocolate as well as the pancakes their adopted father was so good at making.

"Then let's go inside before Watari cooks so we can clean up." He folds and puts away his clothes before walking out, leaving the sleeping bags for the time being and waiting for his friend.


	12. Dogs 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

A/N: Mature content next Part

Part 92

L followed his friend, slightly intimidated by the dogs who where watching him like a hawk.

He looked at his friend and read the reactions of the dogs and continued walking, using himself as a barrier to the other dogs, communicating that he was the Alpha of his human pack.

L's head was lower then usual and his hunched over posture seemed so submissive that it attracted the attention of the throw back Omega who, even after being growled at, still wanted to sniff L.

The younger raven helped Talmut by growling lowly, edging the older raven from her. His inner animal spirit was not going to allow any physical contact, his inner darkness forbade it.

L wasn't sure why that animal was so intent on him or why it ignored the other, but once it went around B, Talmut grabbed hold of her neck, pulling her to the ground and pinning her down so fast that the dark eyed raven let out a yelp.

B pulled the older raven close to him, eying the scene unfold and pulled him back, still growling.  
>"She was challenging you... She wanted to replace you for the spot next to me. You cannot show her that you're more submissive than she is..." He continued to growl lowly and backed up, keeping the young detective pinned to his chest and backing up slowly.<p>

"I do not know how I am telling them that..." the elder mumbled.  
>"The others don't seem to mind..."<p>

"Your body language. You can't hunch around these animals, very least around her without me around. Hunching is a submissive pose. I'm not hunching, I'm standing straight. I am sending energies to everyone, but especially her to leave you alone. I'm not trying to be a threat to Talmut's pack, but I'll take action if I feel you're being threatened." He continued to edge them back until they reached the doorstep. B rang the doorbell and moved himself in front of the young detective.

"So why do the others listen..." he mumbled and watched the largest dog finally let the smaller one up, who slinks away very quickly.

"Like I said, Talmut is the Alpha of this pack and Juno is an Omega who wants me to accept her and replace you, but I can't because she's not my responsibility and Watari has plans for her. I know the canine language very well. I've learned a lot from Bear and from those educational films in the mature section of the library. Talmut is punishing her for even considering the possibility of replacing you."

The dark eyed raven watches them interact for a moment longer before finally being let inside and out of the cold.  
>"Are those dogs bothering you?"<br>"Not really... well Juno is going to attack me..."

"Was," corrected B, "but Talmut and I prevented it from happening. Lawli is unfamiliar with the canine language. If I were any less knowledgeable, I've no doubt that we'd both be at the merciless attack of everyone." B followed the older inside and made sure to set his night bag off side so he could take his jacket off and get out of his sneakers properly.

"I highly doubt that. Talmut knows not to harm any of my guests... Juno, perhaps... but most would listen to my orders if not his..."

"She stayed well away from me once she knew I was serious about not replacing Lawli, for that was her goal." He dries off his feet and stands on the floor.  
>"Where is your bathroom Watari? I'd like to take a shower and clean."<p>

The elder nodded, wanting to have a soak in a hot bath after a cold night.  
>"The one downstairs to the left at the end of this hall is the biggest, though if you both wish to have a shower at the same time there is another upstairs..."<p>

"It does not matter to me, but the tent did get rather warm and we got rather sweaty as a result. What do you want to do Lawli?"

"I would like a bath..." the elder mumbled, almost feeling the hot water already!

"Is the bath downstairs then?" He had yet to experience being in one and the opportunity was too good to pass up.

"Why yes..." the elder mumbled, but before he could tell them anything more they were already half way down the hall, the elder being led by the hand by the younger.

B sought out the large bathroom and peeked inside. It was certainly large and would hold the pair inside comfortably. He flipped on the light, closing and locking the door behind them.

"Would you like to go in first?" the younger offered, already going to the tub to set and adjust the water.

"Or we could both get in?" sugested the older, seeing that the tub was large enough.

"That's fine, I don't mind," he said, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. The younger raven made a temperature adjustment, remembering the temperature that their shared shower was and then letting the tub fill up.

The elder locked the door and begun stripping down, wanting to get into the warm water as soon as possible.

The scarlet eyed raven started to remove his clothes as well, setting them next to the overnight bag and removing clean clothes and a towel. He waited until the tub was at a decent depth before turning off the water and motioning his friend inside first.


	13. Mature Part 7

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

A/N: Mature content.

Part 93

L curled up in one end and as soon as his friend climbed in the other he stretched his legs out under the water, giving a contented sigh.

The sensation was new and B let out a long, contented sigh, letting himself settle in further.  
>"Nnn... This feels nice..." he murmured.<p>

"Turn around and I will rub your shoulders..." the elder offered warmly.

B did as was asked and settled himself against between the older raven's legs and found a reclining position that worked for him.

L took his friends shoulders and begun a slow massage that was hard enough to put any lose muscles back into place but not so much that it was uncomfortable in any way.

The younger raven hummed in contentment, hissing in slight discomfort, but leaning into the touches.  
>"Nnn... Feels really good..."he murmured, feeling his toes curl slightly and uncurl.<p>

L hummed in acknowledgement but otherwise remained quiet, content to create the best possible feeling for his friend.

Red orbs fluttered closed and he let himself simply let his senses control him. He shuddered when his shoulder blades were touched and leaned back farther, feeling his toes curl more.

The panda leaned down and softly kissed his friends shoulder and then neck, wanting to show him a little bit of loving.

Little pleasant tingles went down his spine and B let out a soft sigh, imploring the older to continue by nudging his shoulder when the activity stopped.

The detective got the point and picked up pace, working up and down his shoulder and neck.

Another soft sigh escaped and he edged back a little more, letting his toes curl and uncurl with the attention given, arching his back occasionally.

After a while the rubbing stopped in favor of a tight embrace and more kissing, working his way up to the boy's ear and giving it a careful suck.

A shiver and soft moan escaped before B's legs had begun to spread a little unconsciously.

L wasn't sure what his friend was doing, but he seemed to like it so he continued on, happy to make his friend happy.

Whether or not L remembered about his extremely sensitive ears, the feeling he was getting from having them sucked on was indescribably good! Another soft moan escaped and he arched slightly before edging back.

L moved to the other ear, repeating the action and getting the same reaction. He gave a happy hum, starting to rub his friends chest.

A light pleasured whimper escaped and he turned his head for the older, panting lightly and arching again, toes curling and uncurling, legs spreading as far as the bath allowed him to.

Somehow L understood the message Beyond's body was giving him and he slid one hand between his friends legs and began to rub lightly.

Another pleasured whimper escaped and his toes curled tightly. His eyes scrunched shut as a slightly louder moan escaped. He brought a hand to his mouth to stifle his voice and let out another moan.

The dark eyed raven started to pump his friend's member slowly at first, but gradually building to a pace which was more pleasing.

B shuddered and twitched under the ministrations, holding back his voice as best as he could though he desperately wanted to call out and share his pleasure with the world. With his free hand, he helped along and massaged his inner thighs and sliding up to tease a nipple, though in his barely contained haze, he didn't know what he was doing.

L used his free hand to rub the boy's belly, trying his best to created the most pleasurable feeling possible. In Beyond's mind he was getting pretty close to that goal.

Almost as soon as the attentions began, they ended when B let out a low moan and arched his back, releasing into the water. He fell back onto the older raven, letting out a few hard breaths and getting his mind out of the fog. He was completely caught off guard and his whole body tingled with the after effects.

L removed his hands and just held his friend close, kissing his neck every now and then. He didn't need to speak, the dark eyed raven knew that the other enjoyed it and wouldn't ruin the moment with words.

Time passed while B recovered, his panting slowed and the light twitches gradually stopped altogether. His eyes remained closed and shivered at the light kisses, but made no indication otherwise that he was up for a repeat of the previous attention given.

"We should get out..." the elder mumbled, "before that stuff taints the water..."

"I blame you for that Lawli..." B murmured in reply, opening red orbs and looking at the slightly whitish... stuff gradually dissolving and already tainting the waters.  
>"You knew my ears were sensitive and you knew how I react to them being teased like that. I enjoyed it, but the tub was not a good location."<p>

"Perhaps not..." the dark eyed raven teased.  
>"Would you rather I not pleasure you in any way from now on?"<p>

"Only you know how to make me feel good Lawli. The same could be said about you from me. We know how to make each other feel good and I would not have it any other way." To prove his point, he decides to return the favor by pressing himself bodily against the older and grinds his ass against him, grinning mischievously.

L gave a soft moan and tried to pull away, not wanting to taint the water further.

"I know what you're thinking Lawli and it's too late. You started it and I'm finishing it." He grinds his backside against the older again, reaching back to hold the young detective in place.

The dark eyed boy gave another soft moan and tries to escape yet again.


	14. Shame 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 94

Seeing as how it was not going to what he'd like, B's darkness retaliated. He stopped his attentions and became eerily calm before turning his red gaze to meet dark orbs and glaring slightly.

L froze, unsure of what his friends expression meant. He had never seen his eyes look so dangerous, and never focused on him...

Before he could stop himself, his hand was at the detective's throat and had him slammed against the wall, red orbs seeming to glow more in his blind anger than any other time.  
>"You will let me do as I please Lawliet..." His voice was not his own and was low and growled.<p>

The elder raven's eyes grew wide and fearful, unsure of what to say or how to react.

"You are no longer equals with me... You are not an Alpha in my pack anymore... I'm the Alpha here now... Do you understand...?"

L nodded slowly and lowered his head, breaking eye contact. He wasn't sure what to think or feel, but it was frightening.

The scarlet eyed being that faced the detective now grinned darkly before retreating back into the recesses of where it came. B shook his head and saw what he was doing before letting his friend go and taking 2 steps back, eyes wide and fearful. He didn't stop there and got out of the tub and backed up until he was under the sink, knees against his chest and face buried in guilt and shame.

L stayed frozen in place for some time, his eyes still wide though now looking up at the ceiling as though it held the answers. He never thought Beyond's growing aggression would ever be aimed towards him.

The younger raven began to sob softly in his guilt, his face buried and shoulders shaking. He didn't mean to hurt his friend.  
>*He hates you now cause you hurt him. He hates you now and will never be your friend again...* Over and over these thoughts played out in his mind and he shook his head violently to deny it to himself. He gripped his head and sobbed louder.<p>

"B-Beyond..." the elder whispered after a while, the sobs cutting through his fear and letting him crawl out of the bath and over to his friend.

Scarlet orbs looked at the older and grew wide and fearful. He pressed himself completely against the wall and felt his heart rate rise. He willed the wall to make him disappear, but still the tears fell and sobs freed themselves. He looked in every way a scared animal cornered. He sidled himself closer to the door, heedless of his nude form.

L pulled the boy into a tight embrace, ignoring his fear for the moment. This didn't change anything, though it was clear there where issues that needed to be dealt with...

B struggled in the older's grip before finally collapsing, burying his face into the older raven's shoulder and letting himself go.  
>"I-I'm sorry! I'm s-sorry! I'm s-sorry! I-I'm s-sorry! D-don't l-leave m-me! D-don't hate me! I-I'm s-sorry!" His entire frame shook violently in his guilt filled emotional outburst.<p>

"I don't hate you..." the elder whispered and held his friend ever tighter, trying his best to sooth him.  
>"I love you... this doesn't change anything..."<p>

"I hurt you! I h-hurt you and y-you didn't deserve it!" He wriggled from the older raven's grip and curled tightly into a ball on the floor, humming a very shaky version of L's lullaby and rocking slowly.

"Hey..." the dark eyed boy crawled along to hold him close again.  
>"It's alright... I forgive you..."<p>

*He's lying. He's just saying that. He doesn't mean it. He's still going to abandon you.* B brought his hands to his ears in hopes it would stop the traitor voices in his mind.  
>"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." He whimpered and gave up, becoming limp and looking into nothingness, his guilt overbearing him and forcing his mind into retreat.<p>

L pulled his friend over to sit with his back against the wall and Beyond in his lap.  
>"I'd never leave you behind..." the elder whispered.<br>"We'll get through this together..."

The only sounds from him were soft sobs, letting his guilt out the only way his body knew how. He was unresponsive to anything else until his sorrows were all cried out.

The tired eyed raven never let go of his sobbing friend, keeping to his word about not leaving his side.

Time passed before B came to, his breath shuddered and full of hiccups. He sniffled and looked down to see his friend's arms around him. He frowned and sniffled again.  
>"I-I'm s-sor-sorry..." he said, sniffling loudly.<br>"I-I j-just wan-wanted t-to re-return th-the f-favor... I-I'm re-really s-sorry..." Another small sob escaped and he closed his eyes, unwilling to look at his friend.

"It's alright..." the elder assured him once more and stroked his spidery fingers through the other boys dark hair.

B shied from the contact and hugged himself, looking into the darkness that his closed eyes provided and wanting more than anything to be where this darkness was.

"Don't feel bad Beyond..." the elder whispered.  
>"I know there are things you can't control, but they're apart of you so I love and accept them..."<p>

"B-Beyond B-Birthday... m-my name i-is Beyond Birthday..." Just saying the name seemed to restore some of his confidence.  
>"I d-didn't m-mean to hurt y-you... I-I couldn't st-stop m-myself..."<p>

"I know..." he purred, keeping his voice low and soothing.

Though the guilt was going away, the shame he felt for hurting his friend didn't. He looked to his clothes and wormed his way out of the older's grip before walking to the clean set and re-dressing, walking to the tainted water and draining it. He flinched at the memory flash of seeing himself hurting his friend, but shaking it away. It was worse than when he hurt the detective by abandoning him.

L got to his feet and dressed himself after a few moments, drying off his hair before doing the same to his friend just as he had done many times before...

The younger pulled away and opted to dry his own hair, keeping his gaze diverted. It hurt too much and he was unsure if he'd ever live it down. He doubted it, seeing as he hurt his friend already. What if Lawli was counting the times he was hurt before he left him alone for good? What if he told Watari and was disowned so that he was no longer wanted anymore? Where would he go? What would he do to survive?

L frowned, not wanting to see his friend torturing himself.  
>"Are you alright?"<p>

Tears escaped and he replied with a shake of his head, hugging himself once more.

"Don't beat yourself up Beyond, I know you never meant to hurt me..."

"I hurt you still... I promised that I would protect you... Protectors don't hurt those they are protecting..."

"Perhaps..." the elder mumbled, "but Talmut protects his pack, and yet sometimes he bites them and pins them to the ground like Juno..."

"He does that because he has to and she was out of line. I acted out of line and hurt you for something you didn't want to do..." He reached for his bag and put the towel inside before walking to the door and letting himself out. He walked to the main door and set his bag down and setting himself on the stairwell, hugging himself and trying to block the endless traitor thoughts in his head.


	15. Forgiveness 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 95

L followed his friend to sit down beside him. It's true his friend did scare him, but did it really hurt? No... it was more fear...  
>"You didn't really hurt me you know..." the elder mumbled, "just scared me a little..."<p>

"I hurt you because you were scared Lawli... You're my best friend and friend's are not supposed to hurt each other like that. I could never forgive myself. I almost lost you and I repay the fact you're still alive by making you scared of me..."

"I'm not scared of you..." was the simple reply.  
>"You scared me, but I'm not scared of you... I forgive you and it's alright..."<p>

B finally looked at his friend, making sure what he heard was truth and not pity or otherwise. He looked in for a long time and determined his words were honest. He gave a small smile and finally sidled close, pulling the older into a hug.  
>"Thank you... I'm so sorry, but I'm glad you've forgiven me..."<p>

"It's alright..." L hugged his friend back and rested his head on the younger males shoulder, taking a deep and calming breath.

B nuzzled the older's neck, finding comfort in that one area alone. He slowed his breathing, almost not seeing Watari on the top of the stairs looking a little concerned.  
>"What happened? I heard some commotion coming from the bathroom before."<p>

"We had a little argument..." the elder mumbled, "but we're alright now..."

The wild raven wasn't about to argue or add onto that, content in letting his nerves and guilt be calmed on his friend's neck.  
>"I see. Well if you are both hungry, I've prepared some breakfast for you upstairs. You are free to come up whenever you are ready."<p>

The pandas mouth started watering, almost able to taste the sweet pancakes already! He didn't want to move before Beyond was ready however and managed to remain seated.

"Also, if either of you wishes to discuss what happened with me in private, I'm always available." With that, he walked back up the stairs. B didn't move for another 5 minutes before at last parting from the older and giving a small smile.  
>"I'm not really hungry, but I'll join you upstairs anyways," he murmured, giving a final hug before parting.<p>

"Alright..." the elder smiled and took off upstairs at a speed which was surprising considering his lack of interest in sports other than tennis. He wanted, no, needed those sweet sugary treats.

B followed behind, though at a slower pace than the older and made his way to a decent sized dining area with pancakes and other breakfast goods available. He took a seat near his friend and sat down, spotting the jam and reaching for it and helping himself to gooey goodness.

L took a long spoon and quickly begun to devour everything made available to him, taking his time and enjoying every last bite.

The younger didn't say anything during the meal and when he was as full as he allowed himself to be, he simply watched his friend patiently.

Once the dark eyed boy was finished he looked around the large and elegant dining room. It was set up beautifully and the chairs and table where both carved by hand in a beautiful pattern. Everything about Watari's home was warm and comfortable; the opposite of the sterile grey walls of their Wammy's bedrooms.

"It's quite something isn't it Lawli? This place might have housed important people once..." He's been looking at the intricacies this room had and was awestruck.

"Either that or Watari simply has good taste..." on closer inspection of the room he noted that there where several pieces from different places around the globe, though they all weaved together perfectly some way or another, not a single piece looked out of place.

"Perhaps he's simply added to the glamour of this place. Perhaps he's even restored it quite a bit on top of that. Whatever he's done, he's pulled it together in such a way that there is no doubt that it is indeed his own place."

"Indeed..." L took a strawberry from the bowl in front of him and held it out to Beyond, almost a peace offering of sorts.

The younger raven gave a small smile before taking the fruit. He understood what it meant and it lifted his spirits a little more. He nibbled until the fruit was gone before climbing out and giving the older a heartfelt hug.  
>"I don't want to hurt you anymore... I promise that if I do... I will go to Roger and deal with one of his punishments to atone for what I've done."<p>

"Would it not be better for me to decide your punishment?" the elder mumbled.

"What sort of punishment would you have me do for me to atone for hurting you?" He parted from the hug and nibbled on an index finger, tilting his head to the side.

"You would have to do all of Rogers 'work books' for me for a week and make it look like it's my own doing..." L normally never would cheat in his studies, however, Roger's booklets where so easy and boring that they where a chore.

A sinking feeling grew in B's gut. Those books were so damn easy to begin with that it was torture alone to work on them. He knew L made the answers far more analyzed than originally intended or needed and would provide just the right amount of challenge to be that punishment. On top of which, he'd have to do his own. His face blanched and he gulped loudly.

"I think it would be a far more fitting punishment then anything Roger could come up with, don't you agree?" The dark eyed raven knew how badly the other disliked these work books, almost as much as he himself disliked them as a matter of fact.

B nodded slowly, though the sinking feeling never went away.  
>"If I hurt you, I'll do your work for you..." It was fitting, and he would do it, even if it killed him on the inside.<br>"I hope it does not happen again..."

"I'm sure it won't..." the elder gave a soft smile and sucked on another strawberry for a moment.  
>"Let's go play with the puppies in front of the fire..."<p>

The younger nods in agreement and walks to the doorway before going back down the stairs and to the little enclosure where the 3 remaining pups were at play once more. Sharing the space were a couple people he did not recognize and he edged back, keeping his distance.

L followed his friend downstairs, giving the strange people a curious look.  
>"Do you work for Watari?"<p>

The male of the pair, an East Indian looked their way and gave the ravens a smile.  
>"I'm one of Watari's financial assistants, yes. We only just got here and are waiting on him. We have a scheduled appointment today." His accent was strong and it made B's head tilt curiously. Out of habit, his eyes went to the numbers above his head and his look became more focused.<p>

"We are just here to sit by the fire," the elder explained and moved to sit himself in his usual gargoyle-like way on the rug, gesturing for his friend to do the same.

"That's all fine and good." The female of the pair, looking to be half Chinese, half European gave the pair a smile also. To B's horror, this female had not much long to live and he frowned. He edged to his friend and sat beside him, taking his gaze off the pair before looking into the flames, losing himself in them for some time.

L recognized the younger males expression and moved closer so that their shoulders were touching, a small comfort that the dark eyed raven could provide for his friend as he too stared off into the crackling fire.

The younger raven gripped an arm and leaned his head on L's shoulder. To one day be rid of this gift and curse, that was B's ultimate dream. Even if he'd accepted it as a part of who he is, he still did not like it.

It would be some time before Watari came in to speak with his assistants, taking them from the room and leaving the two boys alone with their canine friends. L put his head down on his friend's shoulder, relaxing into the warmth.


	16. Library 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 96

"4 days from today..." was the murmured whisper; he did not elaborate on it, he didn't need to. He knew that his friend knew what he was addressing. He sighed and looked to the holding pen and managed a small smile.

L nodded in understanding and put an arm around his friend. There was nothing they could do to stop it, at least not as far as they knew.  
>"I wonder if there is someone or somewhere we could learn more about your abilities..."<p>

"I don't think anyone has any answers for what I am... We may never have complete answers..." He frowns and sighs before looking back at the fireplace and edging closer to his friend.

"There has to be someone somewhere... you may be the first recorded, but that does not mean you're alone. When you think about it, even your records are private. Watari, A and I are really the only ones who know and of the three of us A doesn't believe it... It is rather hard to believe, and to accept this is to accept that our destinies are to an extent already decided..."

"When you say it like that, it makes me feel more the the freak everyone at Wammy's calls me... I don't want to be published and recorded in history as a freak who sees when people die. I don't want people to seek me out and ask how I know and be forced to tell them... I don't want these eyes Lawli! I don't want them! I hate being a freak! I hate what I am!" His eyes glared and he looked away, frowning at the carpet, feeling tears threatening to fall.

"You are not a freak Beyond... you're special..." L assured him quietly, pulling him in closer. "And out there somewhere are answers..."

"I'm a freak Lawli... Special people don't have red eyes and see when people die. Special people have some disability. I'm not disabled... I'm a freak!" He lets out a shuddering breath and feels tears escape.

"There may be someone out there who can 'turn off' your eyes..." the detective mumbled, giving his friend a tender kiss on the cheek.  
>"Even if they can't, even if they never met someone like that, I love you and your eyes."<p>

"I just want to see normally for one day. I don't want to only see everything as red... I don't want to see numbers that shouldn't be there. I don't want this..." He sniffled and closed his eyes before covering them with this hands. He then started putting pressure on them in an attempt to gouge his own eyes out and toss them into the fire. It was unsuccessful, but he didn't stop trying, freeing tears of pain and sadness.

"Don't do that to yourself Beyond..." the elder cooed, removing his face from his hands and pulling the red eyed boy into his chest. "We'll find something one day... And if we don't then I'll just have to make your life more bearable some other way..."

B gripped the older raven's shirt and buried his face into it, letting tears wet the material.  
>"I don't want this... I hate that I can't say anything because it will complicate things... I want to be normal for one day... One day out of my life as a freak and to be accepted..." He tightened his grip on the shirt and sniffled.<p>

"I do not have your eyes yet they do not accept me..." the elder mumbled.  
>"Your eyes are simply a gift that others can't understand..."<p>

"You're simply too smart. I'm the same, but... with devil eyes... demon child... heathen... monster..." B felt miserable. This whole morning was horrible for him and it made him feel all the more worse for it.

"I don't care what others think about you..." the dark eyed boy replied.  
>"I still love you... all of you..."<p>

"I know you do... I love you too. I'm just in a terrible mood right now and I want to be alone. I want to go back to the tent and bury myself for the rest of today and not come out..." He edged his face to a neck and nuzzled it, letting out a huff and closing his eyes.

"If you do not want to be with me today then you may go..." the elder mumbled and stroked his friends hair softly.  
>"If it's space that you need..."<p>

"Thank you..." He gave the older raven a soft kiss to the cheek before parting and standing up, walking to the main doors and putting on his jacket and sneakers and letting himself outside. He generated a protective aura around himself while he shuffled back to the tent, doing as planned and burying himself under blankets and sleeping bags. While under there, he sobbed softly until he fell asleep.

L spent the day sitting by the fire alone. He told Watari to place more of his heating devices in the tent for the younger boy at some point and ate an entire cake to himself. Somehow he still felt empty without his friend by his side.

Hours would pass before B removed himself from his cocoon of blankets, noting that the tent was warmer and had guessed Watari had been there at some point. He unburied himself and treaded softly back to the home, keeping his aura around him to protect him until he got back to the house. He rang the doorbell and waited patiently and silently.

L was the one to let his friend inside, a warm smile already on his face as he invited Beyond into the house and out of the cold white snow.

The younger raven smiled back, feeling a lot better after having time to himself to vent and calm down. Walking inside, he removed his jacket and sneakers before pulling the older into a hug and giving soft kisses to a cheek and parting.

"Did you miss me?"

"Very much." Came a quiet reply, a sweet lolly pulled from his pocket and handed to the other.  
>"I saved you one..."<p>

"A lolly from my Lawli..." A grin appeared before he gave another hug.  
>"Thank you, I needed today for myself. I love you, so very much." He opened the wrapper and sucked on it happily before sharing it with the older.<p>

"Are you sure you wish to chance further exposure to my illness?" the dark eyed boy asks, not taking the candy just yet.

B frowned before popping the treat back into his mouth.  
>"Suit yourself, but so far no ill effects. It is getting late though. Watari did promise us that we can stay if he can't make it back today."<p>

"He is still speaking with his two other guests..." the elder informed his friend quietly.  
>"I doubt he will be headed to Wammy's today..."<p>

"He's been in there with them this whole time? I imagine that he has several things to work out. It makes sense, Watari is a busy man after all." He looked upstairs to where he guessed their father's office would be and let out a slow breath.  
>"Is there anything you'd like to do for now? We should try to be quiet and puppy play would be rather loud if he wants silence."<p>

"I've been curious about some of his books..." the elder mumbled.  
>"He has things the library doesn't from other countries..."<p>

"Let us go take a look then," he said with a smile.  
>"That being said, however... I've not seen it yet. Perhaps you have. I'll let you lead the way."<p>

L nodded and led his friend down through the house and into a medium sized room packed to the brim with all kinds of different books, many of which where very old and yet still in good condition.

The younger raven took in the sight and felt he belonged here, like there would be the one book in the entire collection that would call to him. He would seek it out and look at its contents.

L padded around, seeing many different books that appeared to be very interesting. He wasn't sure which one to pick up first!


	17. Library 2

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 97

B's path of searching would take him to the folklore and other related stories. He began to look at every book's cover until one popped out at him, specifically a short book relating to the Shinigami Watari used to tell them when they were younger. It was an older book, but not terribly so. He reached out for it and removed it gently and memorized its location for returning. He found a couch to sit on and began to read.

"Did you find something?" the dark eyed raven asked, padding over to see his friend, the page turned to a picture of a huge serpent gobbling up nightmares.  
>"That's unpleasant..."<p>

"It's mostly a lot of short stories from across the globe, but it appears that Shinigami have existed in some way, shape or form in nearly every culture. They have all been given different names mind you, like Oni in Japan, Chupacabra in Central and South America. They are almost always humanoid. Mothman in North America." He looks at the serpent and tilts his head curiously.  
>"I've never seen a serpent shaped Shinigami image before. This is new."<p>

L too tilts his head to the side, looking at the old and rather frightening picture.  
>"It looks like something you would draw..."<p>

"It almost represents the Nidhogg of Norse mythology, but Nidhogg didn't eat nightmares. It's not the Rainbow Serpent of Africa either cause there is a human in its jaws. I wonder where it came from?"

L took the book for a moment, looking at the page number then flipping to the back where the reference section was.  
>"Actually..." the boy mumbled, flipping through that entire section, "there is only one credit for this drawing... it's taken from another book it seems... I wonder if Watari has it?"<p>

As B took a closer look, it hit him as to what this serpent was. It was the same serpent he talked to in his dreams. His eyes widened in disbelief. She could not have been a Shinigami... but... then... does that mean that his eyes were in fact... Shinigami eyes? He almost didn't catch what his friend said and murmured a hasty reply.  
>"Umm... perhaps..."<p>

The dark eyed boy soon found the text he was looking for, surprised when he opened the pages to find how well it had been read.  
>"It is a diary..." the elder mumbled, "a published diary of... an army doctor by the looks of it... first addition too..." He opened and skimmed through until he found the picture, apparently drawn by the journals original writer.<br>"She haunts me. The serpent in my dreams whom all time flows around. She is here for the soldier's nightmares, for my nightmares. She whispers in my ears who is next to die as she wraps her lethal coils around my neck and purrs her dark lullaby..." L read aloud, tilting his head to the side.  
>"Sounds lovely..."<p>

"Indeed..." B murmured. There was no doubt about it. She was the one the images belonged to. He vowed never to say anything, and had chosen to keep his word until the opportunity came along that he'd be allowed to get the answers he sought.  
>"Seems rather poetic, kind of tragic also. It almost sounds like this snake can do the same thing I can."<p>

"Maybe this creature is a metaphor? Giving life to his own abilities?" He mumbled and flicked through a few more pages to the next picture of the great creature.  
>"'She' could also be purely a description of his fear for those around him... though it really does sound like he is struggling with something more then a fear of death..."<p>

"It seems far too vivid to be a manifestation of one's fears Lawli. I would think he really saw this entity, and what happened scared him so much that it was actually ingrained. I'll bet you can almost feel his fear if you read into it."

"Perhaps..." L handed the book to his friend with a slight smile.  
>"Maybe this book has some of those answers in it for you?"<p>

"I would not have found it if I wasn't looking for answers." He turned his attention back to the first book and began to read through the contents at a slower pace than usual, absorbing every detail and trying to find answers within.

The dark eyed raven did another lap of the library, finding nothing else of interest and contenting himself to sit back to back with his friend and read through the old diary.

The soldier's recollection of his dreams and interactions with the dream serpent was nothing short of fascinating. It seemed every second or third night would bring this being into contact with him, and always before a major battle. Needless to say, as the diary progressed, he could read as the soldier's sanity began to decline.

"There does seem to be some similarities..." the elder mumbled, turning the page to see a large picture of the creatures eyes glaring down at him, "between you and this serpent Beyond..."

"It would appear that way, but this being is not human and it eats nightmares supposedly. Nonetheless, I think it's interesting that this man and serpent interacted so openly."

"It appears as though they had some agreement at the start, though towards the end their relationship deteriorated... perhaps due to the loss of sanity..." the elder deduced.

"If this creature exists, perhaps 'she' is worth seeking out... though it seems as though making any form of trade with her would backfire... 'She' haunted this poor man till his death..."

"I'm sure I can get answers, but what if I'm tricked into a deal?" Little did he know that his fate was already sealed the moment he let his darkness take over.

"He says little about her at the beginning, though I get the feeling it was his foolishness... That he asked for use of her eyes... and she gave it to him... and kept giving it to him..."

"It's a manifestation of the saying 'be careful of what you wish for'. He didn't think of the consequences and it certainly backfired on him. To always know when the next person died... that would drive anyone mad..." In the statement was something that was very true for him and his abilities.

"If this is the case then I doubt you would be foolish enough to ask for something that could forever harm you..."

"Hardly. I'd never do anything like that. It would only make things worse." It was a lie in disguise. He could not recall the events in his dream that changed him and he didn't know the adverse effects it would have on him in the future.

"Then there is no harm in seeking her out..." The elder swapped books then, taking the one on Shinigami.

"I would put money on the fact that such a creature would be in a place where there are many nightmares to feed of... or perhaps she can be called into someone's dreams from afar..."

"Why live to eat only nightmares then?" He yawned loudly, feeling sleep creep back over him.

"A place with high spiritual activity... something like a cemetery or church or something related..." He yawned again and set the book down.  
>"I'm tired..."<p>

L nodded and gave his friend a small smile.  
>"I know just the place..." he whispered, pulling the blood eyed boy into a warm hug.<p>

"Nnh... good. I want to sleep and forget that all the bad things that happened didn't." He returned the gesture and gave small kisses before parting.

"Let's sleep in the spare room tonight where it's warm?" The elder wanted so badly to be by the fire all the time.

The younger only nods, yawning again before letting himself be led away.


	18. Innocence 27

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 98

They had stayed in the spare room before and the dark eyed raven knew the way well, one day hoping to call this room their own.

B noted that the overnight bags were already in there. He stripped down and removed the night pants and put those on. He shuffled to the warm bed and crawled inside, letting a breathy moan of contentment escape.

L followed his friend not long after, crawling in next to his friend with a happy sigh.  
>"The church where my mother and father are buried... that's where we can go..."<p>

"Alright..." B moved back and pulled the older close, cuddling into his neck and letting out another soft, breathy moan.  
>"Sounds like a plan..."<p>

The dark eyed raven holds his friend close and takes a slow, deep breath.  
>"What do you think happens... when you die?"<p>

"I don't know... I don't want to know. I would imagine that it's not what many people think." He nuzzled the young detective's neck.  
>"Perhaps peace... perhaps suffering... perhaps nothing and we go on living..."<p>

The elder boy sighed quietly. He always liked to think that at the end of all this he would be able to see his mother and father again, even though sometimes he had to struggle to even remember how they sounded...

"I would like to see you again. I know we will because we have each other and I love you. I love you more than I love jam." He giggled lightly at this and continued to nuzzle the older raven's neck.

L smiled at the comment and started to play with his friends wild hair.  
>"I love you to... More then strawberries..."<p>

"I love you more than I love Bear," he countered, humming at the attention and nuzzling more.

L pulled out a knot carefully.  
>"I love you more then I love A..."<p>

"I love you more than bug hunting in the spring." He hissed lightly and started to lazily massage a shoulder.

"I love you more than my white dragon..." the dark eyed raven smiled and gave his friend an innocent kiss.

B continued his lazy massage and yawned softly.  
>"I love you more than I loved Griffin." He hummed, enjoying the feeling. He returned the gesture softly.<p>

"That's a lot..." the elder purred and took a deep breath, sleep taking over slowly.

"It is, considering that I loved Griffin greatly..." He yawned again before drifting off, latching onto a section of neck and sucking on it while he slept.

L stroked his friends hair for only a few moments longer before falling completely still in his deep and dreamless sleep.

The younger raven fell into an equally dreamless sleep. The dark realm that would eventually call his home was bare and he had no desire to return to it right now. In the waking world, his gently attentions continued.

L would wake to his friend's touch still continuing that morning after two hours of sleep. As usual the dark eyed raven would await his friend's return to awareness patiently, stroking his back slowly.

Some more hours would pass before B finally came to, waking slowly and letting go of the older raven's neck to yawn softly and nuzzle the neck again, curling more into his friend as he did so.  
>"Nnh... Morning Lawli," he murmured tiredly.<p>

"Good morning..." L purred back, feeling much better this morning than the ones before.

B nuzzled his way to a cheek and placed soft kisses there. His eyes were still in sleep and currently refused to open.

The dark eyed raven gave a soft smile and closed his eyes again, grateful for the attention so early in the morning.

The younger raven continued the soft attentions and laved the older's face with many tender kisses, glad that they were being enjoyed by the older.

"We need to ask Watari to take us today..." the boy purred, lost in his thoughts.

"Nnh... ok..." He returns to nuzzling the older's neck before placing soft kisses there, wrapped up in the good morning moment to care.

The detective slowly begun his usual treatment of his friends hair, beginning his soft lullaby.

The younger raven stopped his attentions to listen, enjoying the touches of the other's hand in his hair, letting out a soft sigh.

The tune seemed almost sad to their adopted father who walked in just in time to hear what was now ingrained in his boys mind as something that was theirs to share.

"Good morning my boys. How was your sleep? That is a beautiful song L by the way."  
>"Morning Watari.." B murmured tiredly, nuzzling a neck and unwilling to move just yet.<p>

"Good morning Watari..." L mumbled and pulled his friend a little closer. He would have liked to know where the tune came from, however, it simply came to him when he was with his friend.  
>"It is for Beyond..." That was the only explanation he could give.<p>

"It is a wonderful tune indeed. Very Opera-like in its haunting beauty. I am just letting you know that I will be preparing some breakfast shortly. Feel free to go to the dining room when you are ready. Also, did you have any requests today before I bring you back?"

The dark eyed raven nodded slowly, looking down at his friend for a moment then up at Watari.  
>"We would like to go see my parents..."<p>

"Very well. I can do this for you. It would be a good thing, actually. When would you like to go?" B was snoring lightly, having fallen back into a light sleep.

There was a friendly smile from the detective who pulled his friend a little closer.  
>"Can you give us another hour?"<p>

The elderly male nodded and took his leave. B shifted and nuzzled the older raven's neck.

L nodded and held his friend close, enjoying the extra time they could spend together while the younger napped.

30 minutes later and B roused himself from sleep, yawning softly and rolling over to stretch, feeling some knots disappear. He opened his eyes and looked to his friend with a lazy smile.  
>"I must have fallen back asleep," he murmured, cuddling close again.<p>

"You did," the elder purred, "but you can't do it again. We have somewhere to go, remember?"

"Yeah... I know. I still don't know what sort of answers I'll get though Lawli..." He sighed and went to sit up, but felt slightly light headed. He shook the feeling quickly and stretched again.

"Any answers at this point would be better then what we have..." the detective mumbled, getting up and getting dressed.

"Yes, but if they are not the answers I seek, then it was a waste of time, no offence. I hate doing something and being left unsatisfied at the results." He smelled himself and determined he wanted a shower before getting dressed, his near obsessive need to be clean dictating his actions.  
>"I'm going to take a shower. I'll leave my hair as it is for the time being because of the weather."<p>

L nodded and ducked into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He knew B needed to be clean to be happy without question.


	19. Raven 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 99

B stripped and set the temperature before putting on a shower cap and getting inside. He started to vigorously clean himself in his usual manner before hopping out again some time later.

L was already dressed and ready to go by this point, happily eating breakfast which had been brought to them on a tray.

The younger raven walked back into their room and sat himself on the bed, taking a tray beforehand and sitting down with it and helping himself to the food available. He was starved by now, having not eaten since breakfast the previous day. He didn't say much, only offering his friend a smile before digging in.

Once they where both finished, they both sought out their adopted father, each hoping to gain something from this little venture.

B assumed he would be in his office and directed his path there. He knocked before opening, seeing the elderly gentleman looking through some final papers.  
>"Watari, Lawli and I are ready to go out. We can wait for you if you are a little busy."<br>"Ah, yes. Give me 10 minutes and I will join you shortly."

"You should go and get that book about the snake..." the elder mumbled, gesturing towards the room next door.  
>"If that is who we're seeking..."<p>

*That's not who she wanted me to talk to. There was another that would give me some form of answer.*  
>"Umm... Perhaps I'll call it up. I have the image to memory. There was no name to this serpent. I can chance it by asking for it by what it is."<p>

"Alright..." the elder shrugged, wondering how such a creature would appear.

"I'm not sure what method other than meditation would work. Or where in the graveyard to put myself. I've not done this before..." He nibbled at an index finger and lost himself in thought.

"Well as we will be there 'to visit my parents' that is a good place to start..." In truth, L wasn't sure if he really wanted to go. It always made him so sad.

"Perhaps... Join me then so it would not be so awkward, but don't actually try to go where I'm going. Visit your mom and dad if you so choose."

The dark eyed raven nodded and led his friend to the front door, Watari appearing not long after to take them to the car. The entire trip was almost silent, you could feel L's slight discomfort in the air, but it was something felt every time he visited the cemetery where his family lay. This was the first time however he ever brought Beyond, or anyone for that matter with him.

Red orbs looked out to the cemetery and he felt a weird sort of energy here. There were a lot of dead people here. He waited until the vehicle stopped before unbuckling and getting out, feeling another slight wave of being lightheaded, but shaking it quickly. He waited for his friend and walked with him.

Watari waited in the car as the elder led the way to a place he knew too well. Two simple grave stones with the names of his parents were perched proudly amongst the others. L had planted little flowers here that grew wildly, something he knew his mother would love. He knelt down into his usual crouch and stroked one of the delicate purple flower petals carefully.

"Richard and Harriet Lawliet. Brilliant and wonderful companions. They will be missed." B read this as silently as he could manage, looking at his friend and feeling the sad energy from him. He reached down and placed a hand on L's back and offered a small smile before sitting cross-legged on the ground, careful not to disturb the soil around him.

The dark eyed raven looked to his friend with a sad, but grateful smile and closed his eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

B closed his eyes and began to clear his mind, using the meditation skills he's honed for many years to assist him with this task. He had a grip on his friend and gave a gentle squeeze before letting go. He took a few deep, controlled breaths before letting his mind slip into the void of where he would eventually call home.

The darkness had several different features here: trees that were in the cemetery poked up through the ground, though the snow on them was no longer there.  
>"A dreamer..." came a voice from the tree, a small black raven being the only creature in sight.<p>

B stood up in this realm and offered a small bow to the black bird.  
>"I'm meditating, it allows me to dream when I'm awake. A serpent told me there was another being here that might hold some answers for me."<p>

The bird skipped left then right on the branch, tilting its head to the side in thought.  
>"You speak of the red eyed one?" Its voice rings out loud and clear.<p>

"Yes... I'm the same. My name is Beyond Birthday." He remained standing where he was and allowed the raven to see his eyes.

The creature hopped down to a lower branch to get a better view and then tilted its head to the side once more.  
>"Ahh you are no ordinary dreamer..." the bird stated.<br>"I have answers for those who have the right questions..."

"I'm afraid I have no knowledge of this, then again I assume the serpent didn't either." He looked into his mind for a question, generating one that would hopefully yield answers.  
>"Do... all beings like us have animal forms? If so, why is that?"<p>

"All beings are animal or plant for they are created that way." This answer made the ravens game clear, if the question was not phrased correctly it would yield a false answer.

"Does one's personality, quirks and mannerisms in life determine their form in death?" It was another shot in the dark, but if given the right answer, he'd take it a step farther.

"That it does, though it is your true self that comes into being upon death..." The bird seemed pleased with the question, as though having someone intelligent to speak with was something new.

"Thank you. Next question..." He thought about the next one, phrasing was everything.  
>"Were beings like us created intentionally, or are we a something that was never meant to exist?"<p>

"You and I are of different purpose and creation," The bird replied simply.  
>"You are a dreamer and I am a spirit..."<p>

That answer was not satisfactory, so he tried again.  
>"I am aware that individually, our intents and purposes are different, but as a collective, were we truly meant to exist?"<p>

"All things exist for a purpose, you and I are no different." The creature fluffed itself up and stood proudly.  
>"I guide those who become lost in this world to there eternal rest and for now you are a dreamer..."<p>

"Thank you..."It was still unsatisfactory, but this was new to him and would have to accept that answer for now.  
>"I had a nightmare in which I was confronted by the Grey Man, but this massive black canine-like entity came forth and saved me. Was I right to take its assistance?"<p>

"There is no right and wrong, only choices we have to make," the bird replied with its wise yet still confusing answer.

"Thank you... I have a friend alive with me. We are as close as blood siblings and our bond is strong. Can he go where I go if he dies also?"

The creature bounced back and forth for a long moment.  
>"When you die the forms you take will be different though your bond will remain unbroken and you will be together."<p>

"So you're telling me that we can't be together?" He frowned at this, heartbroken that he and his friend could not be together in death as they had been in life. It would be the one thought in mind that would assist in his downfall.  
>"Thank you..."<p>

"You have twisted my words dreamer," the raven corrected, seemingly slightly offended by the blood eyed boy.  
>"You will be together in the end if your bond is as true as you say..."<p>

"But... You're telling me that Lawli isn't what I am and that even if our bond was strong... He can't stay with me... He has to go where the normal people go... I'm not normal... I hate not being normal! I hate it!"


	20. Comfort 6

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 100

The creature bristled its feathers once more.  
>"You can bring him to this place and venture to his..." the raven shook its feathers.<br>"This is a world between death and life, the realm of dreamers, the dead are welcome here though many become lost in the dark..."

Tears had escaped and he sniffled.  
>"W-we can be together then? Is this something that has to be earned on both sides?"<p>

The raven nodded.  
>"It is earned through a bond that cannot be broken... the same bond that allows souls to find each other after death in their world can be used to bring a soul here or for you to venture there..."<p>

This certainly picked up B's mood.  
>"Lawli and I's bond is very strong. Nothing keeps us apart and if we must separate, we try to return as soon as possible. Thank you... for answering what questions I have now."<p>

"Certainly." The crow squawked and flew past Beyond and off into the endless darkness, chasing down more lost souls to bring to their rest.

B concentrated and eventually awoke from his state and opened his eyes, shivering at the sudden cold. He looked to his friend and offered him a smile.  
>"I'm afraid that I kept a promise not to say anything, but I have some answers that I was seeking."<p>

The detective looked to his friend for a moment with another sad smile.  
>"I'm glad you could find some answers..." L wanted to know who he made such a promise to, but wouldn't push his friend. He knew he would be told everything he needed to know.<p>

B stood up and pulled the young detective into a warm hug, nuzzling his neck.  
>"I know you still miss them Lawli. I sometimes miss mine to, but in all honesty, you're the only one I know and love. I'll have no other besides you." He placed an innocent kiss on his friend's cheek.<br>"Are you ready to leave?"

L looked back at the graves with tears still in his eyes, whispering a quiet 'goodbye'. He took his friends hand in his and gave a small nod, letting himself be led away.

"Thank you for bringing me here," he said silently as they got back into the car.  
>"I'm sure they miss you too..." He gave another innocent peck on the cheek and held his friend, stroking his hair softly.<br>"Watari... if it's ok with you, may we go back to your home until Lawli feels better?"

Some tears finally started streaming down the dark eyed ravens face and he buried his head in the younger males chest to hide them.  
>"I-I'm glad you could... meet them..."<p>

"Watari saved you from an uncertain future Lawli... Your mom and dad would be proud of you." He continues to soothe his friend while the elder male slowly takes them back en route to the estate.  
>"I love you Lawli..." he whispered.<br>"I'll keep you safe. We can be a family together..."

"I love you t-to..." the elder whispered, trying to mask his sobs as much as possible.  
>"I miss them..."<p>

"I know you do. I think that we all do to an extent. It's ok to feel sad and scared and lonely... It's ok..." He held his friend close, petting raven locks softly and trying his lullaby, though it was not as clear or confident.

L sobbed lightly, missing the comfort his parents brought. Even with Rue, somehow it was just different to having a mother and a father to tuck you in at night.  
>"I t-think mother would h-have liked you..." he whispered quietly.<p>

Watari pulled into the driveway, greeted by his small pack of dogs. B held his friend and continued to soothe him. He opened the door when it was clear and walked with his friend inside and to the spare room wordlessly.

L padded over to the bed and buried himself in the covers with a soft sob.

B removed his friend's jacket and his own before crawling inside and holding him close.  
>"It's ok Lawli... It's ok..." He petted his hair and placed comforting kisses on the back of his neck.<br>"Shh... It's ok..."

The elderly gentleman walked into the room, clearing his throat to get the boys' attention.  
>"Are you alright my boys?"<p>

"Lawli is feeling upset. He misses his parents." He could feel the little shudders from his friend as well as hear the muffled sobs. He didn't stop petting his head regardless, placing soft, comforting kisses to a neck.

"I know you miss them... I miss them to..." the elder whispered.  
>"I see so much of your mother in you..."<p>

"It's ok to feel lost and scared. There is nothing wrong with it. I sometimes miss my mother too, but you're my new family now. You're my older brother and nothing can take that from us." He continued his gentle attentions, soothing his friend as best as he could.

L only moved so he could cuddle into his friend all the more, slowly calming himself down and crying himself out.

"It's ok..." He made soothing sounds and held the older raven close.  
>"You're not alone Lawli... You're safe here..." He kissed the top of the older raven's head and hummed a tuneless song.<p>

"I know..." he managed after a long time sobbing.  
>"I-I'm glad... your here with me..."<p>

"I'm not going anywhere Lawli. I'm always going to be with you, even if we cannot be together all the time, we still have each other. I love you too much Lawli. I love you more than the things I've created, more than the little victories..." All his attention had been on his friend that he completely forgot about Watari then.

"I love you to..." the elder whispered back softly, closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth.

B didn't stop his gentle, soothing attentions, becoming a little hypnotized by them, slowly lulling himself to sleep.  
>"My Lawli..." He murmured softly.<p>

L gave a little, sad smile and curled up into his friend all the more.

It was not long before the inevitable happened. B closed his eyes and held onto his friend, snoring softly.

L wouldn't, or better yet couldn't find sleep this time, still sniffling every now and then, but eventually feeling better.

Time would pass before red orbs opened again. B nuzzled his friend's neck and placed soft kisses there, petting his friend, trying offer comfort.  
>"Hey Lawli..." he murmured, "are you feeling better?"<p>

"Yes..." the elder mumbled back quieter then he would have liked.  
>"What about you? Were they the answers you wanted?"<p>

"Somewhat... I would have liked something more solid." He held his friend close and nuzzled his neck more, enjoying the close company.

"Was it the snake? What did she say?" L was trying to distract himself.

"It was a raven... She was very cryptic, but she knew what I was; she called me a dreamer. I had to ask my questions carefully, but even when I did, it was nothing solid."

"That sounds very strange..." the elder mumbled.  
>"Why did you not want me to try and seek out this creature with you?"<p>

"You said it yourself Lawli... If there was anything shady, It might have negative effects on me. If you joined, you'd be putting yourself in harm's way. I will not allow that to happen. Thankfully, nothing of the sort occurred. This is my journey for answers. I don't want you putting yourself at risk."

"But would you not be at less risk with someone there to point out anything that seems to be amiss that you have not noticed?"


	21. Innocence 28

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 101

"This is my journey Lawli..." his voice had taken on a slightly dangerous edge. He really didn't want his friend potentially harming himself and would do anything to protect him from that, even if it meant threatening him. It was not hurting him in any way and he wanted it to stay that way.

"As you wish..." the elder mumbled, biting his thumb slightly.

"I don't want to hurt you with a means that is out of your control, that's all..." his tone went back to normal, but turned softer than before.  
>"I want to keep you safe. I don't want you to be hurt..." He petted the older raven's hair.<p>

L nodded slowly burying his face into his friends chest and taking a deep breath.  
>"I love you..." he purred after some time, holding onto his friends shirt, "so much..."<p>

"I love you too Lawli... The things we do are an extension of that, at least I like to think they are, but I love you more than the good feelings that come from it." He smiled softly and continued to pet his friend.

"People will think we're mad if we tell them that there are ravens who talk so we should keep that between us..." the elder mumbled, seemingly a little concerned.

"I really should not be telling you in the first place. I'm not mad though, I'm... gifted, but not mad. I'm not going to share though, you know that already."

"I just wanted to make sure..." the dark eyed raven mumbled, "you know even A would not believe us... she does not believe in anything she cannot analyze..."

"I know... I see her give me odd looks in the lab now and then. She knows my eyes are special, but she still refuses to believe the ability that comes from them. I've never told her anything pertaining to her lifespan, though I have hinted about the life of some of her specimens."

"I am sure it is because of what has happened to her," the elder mused, "that she now refuses to accept that there is anything out there that is so powerful it can affect our lives yet so... oblivious that it does nothing when an innocent child suffers..."

"We've all suffered in some way or another, but A seems to have been outright traumatized. She masks it well though... I truly hope that she can one day talk out her sorrows and pains with someone she trusts." B rolls to his back and pulls the older with him, still petting softly.  
>"I know she can be a better person if she does that... then again, so can we."<p>

L nodded, a slight frown painting his features for a moment.  
>"I wish we knew more of A's past, if we did then there may be some way to help her more than simply being there... If we knew her demons, we could help her conquer them..."<p>

"I know that A loves us both, but she still has her barriers. When she's ready to talk and feels comfortable around us to do so, then that's when she'll open up. Emotionally, she's still a bud that refuses to grow."

"Perhaps it will take one of us showing that where willing to share our emotions with her before she will be willing to do the same..." The dark eyed raven sighed, "she has done a lot for us..."

"No arguing there. She's a guardian angel, sent from above to do great things. The hardships are trials, but even she still needs guidance. Perhaps not one, but both. Not at the same time though, that would overwhelm her." He lets out a slow breath and closes his eyes.  
>"I would be so upset if something terrible happened to her at Wammy's. It's supposed to be a place of sanctuary and security, but for us at least, it has been unbearable."<p>

"She does better there then we do..." L stated.  
>"She is far too kind for anyone to pick on or harass... They get nothing out of it and they are made to look like foolish cowards for teasing someone who would die in the defense of anyone..."<p>

"Good point, but she should not have to..." He stops petting and uses his arms as a pillow.  
>"She should not have to put herself where others are defenseless. Watari took us and these other kids in for a second chance... people like H and his posse are not being very appreciative..."<p>

"No, they are abusing our fresh start, but not everyone sees that..." the dark eyed raven rolls off of his friend, keeping his head on the others shoulder and spreading out to look up at the roof, a rare stretch for the normally hunched over detective.  
>"I am not sure what so many of the teachers see in them... they are smart, but we are smarter..."<p>

"Watari is a sympathetic person. He took them in for a reason. I doubt none of us would be here still if it were not for him. That is what frustrates me the most about the ones who abuse their right to be there. A lack of appreciation is present."

L sighed softly and closed his eyes.  
>"Why can't someone teach them to be more appreciative..."<p>

"You speak like there have not been any, but there has been plenty. Like us, they are ignored..." He gently moves his friend's head off him and rolls to his side, letting out an annoyed huff.  
>"It sickens me..."<p>

"One day, Wammy's will be ours and we will have the power to change all of that..." the dark eyed raven assured his friend.  
>"For now, we must simply live with it or continue petitioning to leave..."<p>

"Yeah... I know... It does not change my opinion on the matter..." He closed his eyes and took slow breaths, wanting to lessen the stress his growing annoyance was giving him.

L rolled over, putting his arms around his friend and cuddling into him.

The younger smiled and reached around to grip an arm.  
>"You're a great friend Lawli," he said softly, "and I love you all the more because of it."<p>

The elder smiled and begun to hum that same old soft tune again, knowing that was the best way to make his friend happy and comfortable once more. Words, after all, were not always L's strong point.

B listened and felt the tones ease away his stress a little at a time. He rubbed the arm a little in appreciation and took slow breaths.

"I am going to ask Watari for a case in Japan..." the elder purred during his song.  
>"There are plenty of spiritual places there... perhaps this time you will be prepared to speak with one of these beings, now you know they are cryptic with their answers..."<p>

"Yes... I need to know many things, but it's really up to me as to what answers I get..." He spoke softly, the tune relaxing him. He edged back a little and sighed softly.  
>"Perhaps I may know only what I need to know. Nothing more, nothing less..."<p>

"They may be hiding things from you for your own good, or perhaps it is because they worry you will tell other people about them?" There where a lot of reasons in L's mind why any race of creatures would keep secrets from another.  
>"It could be to that they simply wish to confuse you..."<p>

"I've already broken that rule by telling you... for that, I know not of the consequences when I should die. There are too many variables and at the same time they make sense, they do not..." He sighed again and curled into a ball.  
>"I don't want to think about that right now. I'm tired and a little stressed... I just want calm."<p>

L nodded and started his little tune up once more, rubbing his friends chest comfortingly.

B enjoyed the soft tune and the gentle attentions, feeling himself return to that realm of peace and calm once more.  
>"I love you Lawli... always..." He whispered this and relaxed more.<p>

"I love you too..." the darker purred back as just before the elderly gentlemen returned, this time followed by two playful puppies and a third in his arms which he put down upon the bed, trying to cheer his boys up.


	22. Japan

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 102

B hid a small frown, his little bubble of calm was unintentionally burst. He didn't show it around his father, rolling over slightly to grip a puppy that was climbing clumsily over the pair. He grinned as he recognized it as the one pup he carried before.

L leaned over to stroke the animal whose tail was wagging happily.  
>"What brings you here Watari?"<p>

"I was a little concerned after not seeing the both of you after getting back from the graveyard. I left you alone for some time and I thought you might like the extra company. I don't like to see my boys sad is all."  
>"Thanks, Watari. It was nice of you to bring them here."<p>

"I am feeling a little better now Watari..." the elder explained and rubbed the happy animal behind the ears.  
>"I was even wondering if you could get me that case in Japan..."<p>

"There are in fact 2 now that might be of interest to you. Another one was delivered by air mail a week ago. I had already reviewed it and determined its possibility as an open case for you."

"When can you make arrangements for us to leave? Beyond and I wish to have some time away from the house and this is the perfect opportunity..."

"How soon would you like to leave? When I know this, I can call the airport and have them ready my jet."  
>A shiver of excited anticipation went through B then. To travel across the globe, it was an exciting venture.<p>

"As soon as possible, we are both finished all our other work for now..."

"Perhaps a a trip back to the orphanage is in order first. You must pack all your clothes. I will need time to discuss things with Roger and the other staff so that your possessions remain intact. You can talk with A if you wish on the matter and see what can be arranged."

"I want to make sure Bear is well taken care of while we're gone too..." the elder mumbled, looking back at his friend for a moment.  
>"Do you think the person who looks after your dogs can drop by and look after Bear? Roger might kick him out while you're gone..."<p>

"I will make sure that does not happen. Roger cannot do anything to Bear while we're gone. I can send one of my caretakers over, but are you sure that you wouldn't like A to assist you in some way or another? I'm sure she is willing as she provided him for you and is technically her dog. I will discuss things with Roger though, I assure you this. Anything that can be put into A's lab will likely be moved there for safekeeping."

"I trust that A will take good care of him, however, she is very busy, which is why he spends all his time in our room. I worry that with us gone she may be a little overwhelmed and Roger could take advantage of this as he does not like animals..." the boy explained.  
>"She also has Smudge to take care of and the two don't really see eye to eye..."<p>

"Alright, I understand your angle on this. Everything will be taken care of. Since today will be consisted of preparations, I will have us booked for tomorrow morning. Does that work for you?"

L looked to Beyond, waiting for the little smile and nod before turning back to Watari.  
>"Fine by us..."<p>

"Splendid! I will make arrangements at the airport, and then we can make a trip back so you can get ready and make your arrangements on the side. Go to bed early though. The earlier the flight is arranged, the more rested I want you to be before we go. Understood?"  
>B nodded with a small smile.<br>"Understood, Watari."

"Thank you for this..." The elder gave an appreciative smile to the older and pulled the puppy onto his lap.

"You know I would do many things for you both. I know that these cases you are taking are paving your way into a great future L." The elder smiles and takes his leave, leaving the pups with the boys while he sets the flight plans.

"This is exciting! However, what are we going to do about my eyes? There are going to be people who will see them and you know how uncomfortable I am about people looking at me..."

The elder bit his thumb and thought for a long moment before stumbling onto an idea.  
>"Color contact lenses..." the elder mumbled.<br>"Like the ones T has so she doesn't have to wear glasses, only colored so they cannot see your eyes."

"Can we get ones that are the same color as yours? Or something close? Would they have to be ordered, or can we buy them?"

"We would have to ask Watari, but I am sure they come in every color so there is no need to worry..." The elder played with the puppy's ears for a moment.

"I hope that we can take enough with us while we are there. It is very exciting though Lawli. We're going across the globe for the first time in our lives. At the same time, it's frightening, but I want to go. I want to see these places with you." He rubbed the puppy in his possession's belly, watching it squirm with amusement.

"I hope there will be more answers for you there, but even if there isn't, it will be something we can enjoy together." The dark eyed raven smiled and got to his feet.  
>"We should get ready."<p>

B nodded and carried the puppy, bending down to take another and set them on the floor, fixing up the bed as neatly as he was taught before repeating the process and walking out of the room with his friend. He made a trip to the little enclosure and with his friend's help, set the active trio back inside safely. There were little whines of protest; as much as he wanted to continue play, preparations needed to be made.

L was slightly saddened by the puppies cries for attention and leaned down to pet them all one last time before turning to leave.

"Watari is probably nearly done with arrangements. We can wait by the door for him until he shows up."

The dark eyed raven nodded in agreement and they both headed for the door. There was alot to do before they left and not a lot of time to get it all done in.

The pair stood patiently as their father finally showed up again with a smile, leading them both outside and to the car where their preparations and journey could begin.

Their trip back to Wammy's felt like it was over in a flash. They had so much to get ready and do that despite being warned to have an early night, neither got to bed until after the curfew. They each hugged their adopted sister and canine room mate goodbye and were on the plane before they really knew what had happened.

Watari had got the request for colored contacts in the vehicle and managed to get some for the red eyed raven before departing the day before. He was currently holding the box for them right now, a dark color that would have matched L's exactly, if it were not for the odd, light glow that came from his eyes. They would resemble a very dark reddish brown. It was satisfactory. B was currently curled against his friend, snoring lightly, having fallen back asleep from the lack of it the day before.

L too was looking more tired then usual, huddled up in the back seat of the car waiting to get to their destination. It was a hotel that the police themselves paid for and while it was nothing close to five star, it was clean and well organized, not to mention only a few buildings away from the police headquarters.


	23. Kanji

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 103

B was shaken lightly from his sleep from his friend, their destination finally in plain sight. B opened his eyes and looked around groggily before yawning and letting his gaze focus. Almost immediately, he saw a sea of names written in Kanji, something that was new to him, but he knew what they were. It mesmerized him and made his eyes go wide. Watari got his attention, then removed 2 contacts with a clear fluid so that his eyes would not dry out while wearing them. With uncertain movements, he got them on and adjusted them so they would not look out of place.

"They look good..." the dark eyed raven commented, holding a small mirror for him so he could see his now brownish grey eyes, quickly becoming curious about what had captured his sleepy friend's attention so completely.  
>"What are you staring at?"<p>

"It's the names... They are all in Kanji..." he murmured, completely transfixed once more at the sea of Japanese characters when all he'd seen for years were European names. He even went so far as to press his face against the glass, eyes large and curious.

"The names must appear in the language they are first spoken in..." the elder mumbled, biting his thumb in thought, "or perhaps how they are first written?"

"Perhaps something along the lines of both..." he murmured against the glass, letting his masked eyes survey the sea of red.  
>"This part of Japan is very busy... So many names..."<p>

L knew that Beyond's Japanese was not his strongest attribute but wondered how many of the names he could read.  
>"The police here have been having trouble keeping on top of everything..." their adopted father tells them in a monotone.<br>"This district gets a little more serious crime and the murders are beyond the experience of their policemen. The government is paying a lot of money to have us solve cases here as to maintain the integrity of their law enforcement."

"It's a perfect opportunity then," murmured B, "to get things balanced here. I would like to volunteer my eyes for these cases, if that's ok with you?"

"I would be happy for your help." The dark eyed raven smiled and finally got out of their car to take a look around.

B followed after him, looking everywhere as he had done when seeing new places. A smile grew on his face, the feeling of importance and duty taking over him.  
>"I'm going to call myself Ryuzaki while we're here," he stated out of the blue.<p>

L raised an eyebrow at that, but nodded with another bite to the thumb.  
>"I am going to check in with the police headquarters and relay the relevant information to you. While I am gone, why don't you two boys go look at the shrine down the road over there," the elder stated, pointing off into the distance where the road veered off into a park filled with huge trees that only just hid a great shrine within.<p>

"I would not mind that in the least. What about you, Eru-san?"

The dark eyed raven nodded, looking out in the distance to the place that seemed to different to the chaotic world that surrounded it.

B led the way, trying with great difficulty to walk without being distracted by the names and numbers. It was something he would eventually become practiced in, but for now, it was distracting.

Much to the delight of both boys, Beyond got very few looks cast in his direction and those were simply because they were new to the area, not the stares being a 'demon child' usually brought the youngest raven. The shrine itself was much larger then it looked from so far away, beautiful statues of inari kitsune guarding the entrance. L looked at them with slight awe, they where taller then he was and looked ferocious.  
>"Fascinating," the younger raven said, taking in the sites.<p>

"I want to come back here tomorrow and do some meditation. I know I could do it now, but it's too soon. I want to at least get familiar with my surroundings first."

The detective nodded in agreement feeling small compared to the mighty foxes so far above him.

"I wonder if there is a fox in the realm that the serpent and raven live? Perhaps this shrine was created just for it?" He walked around slowly, putting everything to memory, catching a glimpse of a name now and looking at it before looking back.

"It would make sense..." the elder mumbled.  
>"Perhaps many creatures that people worship or used to worship are part of that world..."<p>

"I would not be surprised in the least if there was truth in there. It is a beautiful place though. I want to sketch out a few pictures for A. I think she'd love to see how Japan looks." That weird lightheaded feeling came back a little stronger and he was unable to shake it off fast enough. Following that was a slight queasiness.

"Are you alright?" the dark eyed raven asked curiously, seeing his friend obviously not feeling 100%

"I don't know... I think I'm finally developing those symptoms..." He knew there was a risk since their last excursion, but to have it effect him, it was something he absolutely did not want right now, not here.

"Symptoms of my sickness?" the elder asked curiously, putting his palm to the other boys forehead.

"Perhaps... I got a little lightheaded before, but thought nothing of it. It happens sometimes when my eyes are strained. I'm hoping that the eye strain is the case..." He closed them and took a slow breath before opening them again.

"That could be... you have been looking at a lot more names then usual..." the dark eyed raven mused.

"There are too many, it is highly plausible, but I'm going to see how I feel as the day progresses. I can't take that risk, I just can't. I don't want to be ill here then spend time quarantined. That only spells disaster..."

L nodded and took his friend by the hand to lead him back to their hotel room.

The younger followed obediently, though he was disheartened at what might potentially be an illness he didn't want.

"I still think its nothing to worry about..." L mumbled, knowing his friend was overtired.

"I know, but still... I want to be safe than sorry." He looked at the sea of names and knew this wave of being lightheaded was from the sheer blinding light being given off. He had to stop, feeling dizzy.

"Are you alright?" the elder mumbled looking back at his friend for a moment.

"No... I need to get inside... The names are overwhelming me right now..." He closed his eyes again and gripped his friend's shirt tightly.  
>"Lead me safely, please."<p>

L nodded, but before his friend even knew what was happening he scooped the younger boy up and carried him into the hotel room that Watari had so kindly left unlocked for them.

The younger boy yelped in surprise, but trusted that his friend knew what he was doing. He didn't open his eyes again until he was safely back in their room again. He opened his eyes once more and took in his surroundings. It was a decent sized room, likely identical to many of the other rooms. Two beds were next to another, something he didn't mind, but preferring to be with his friend in the same bed for the company and bonding.


	24. Motel 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 175

Part 104

"We have beds..." the elder mused for a moment looking around.  
>"I was expecting futons..." He waited until his friend was safely sitting on one double bed before walking around the space, finding an area best suited to working.<p>

"Cots even, but that's fine. There appears to be a fold-out table over in that corner. You can use the chair and sit there if you wish." He gestured to a table top attached to the wall and held there by a small, but sturdy chain. He lay himself down and kept his eyes closed, trying to shake the lightheaded feeling.

"For now I will sit with you..." the dark eyed raven stated in his usual flat tone, "until you're feeling better..."

"I'm just lightheaded right now.. It's nothing I can't handle." He gave a small, but tired smile to assure his friend of this.

"I know you can handle it, but that does not mean that I will leave you to do so alone..."

"It's fine, really. I know you're in plain sight. I know you're not going to let anything bad come about." His head was swimming with the lightheaded feeling and he knew if he opened his eyes, they would be all over the place, looking extremely confused.

"It's not as though I have much to do right now until Watari comes back to brief me anyway..." It was an excuse to stay near his friend and a good one.

B huffed a sigh in defeat and said no more on the matter. The queasiness returned however and let out a small groan of discomfort.

L laid himself down and pulled his friend into a comforting hug, unable to do much else.

"Too many names Lawli... Never seen so many... never seen so much Kanji before..." The queasy feeling passes, but the lightheaded feeling does not.

"Would you like an ice pack for your forehead?" the elder offered quietly, knowing that they sometimes help with headaches and the like...

The younger nods and slowly opens unfocused eyes, trying to shake the feeling still.

The dark eyed boy slowly gets up, walking to the freezer and retrieving the cool pack, wrapping it in a towel before handing it to his friend.  
>"Perhaps if you are to go to this shrine to meditate you should do so at night... when fewer people are around?"<p>

With a slightly compromised depth perception, it took 2 tries before he got the pack, giving a nod of thanks before putting it on his head.  
>"Perhaps you're right, but right now, that's not going to happen."<p>

"It may be something worth asking... if your gifts have limits before they put a strain on your body..."

"Indeed... If you could see what I see all the time..." A thought occurs to him then, something he never thought to do until now.  
>"When I feel better, I will show you exactly what I see... and destroy the image."<p>

The detective tilts his head to the side slightly in curiosity.  
>"How do you propose to do that?"<p>

"I'll ask Watari for a pencil and paper, no big deal. I don't know why I've not thought about it before, but I thought you'd like to see the source of my constant suffering and why I don't like to talk about it."

The dark eyed male nods slowly and lays down beside his friend once more, trying to think of ways to distract him.

"Have you worked out what you will ask the 'creature' when you meet it?"

"Not really. I know that I must phrase everything very carefully. What I say determines the answer I get." He felt the lightheaded feeling edging away much to his joy.  
>"They are unpredictable though. It will be a challenge..."<p>

"Then you should think about what you need to ask ahead of time... maybe I can help you..." the elder mumbled and rubbed his friends stomach in slow circles.  
>"You must prepare also for the fact these... whatever they may be called, are different from the raven and have different buttons to push... You need to consider every outcome... they may be easily offended..."<p>

"I'm probably the same as they are Lawli. This is not an easy thing. I know that approaching this is not going to be easy. If I offend them, then the consequences could be dire... I want answers as badly, but it's... it's frustrating!" He shuddered briefly at the contact to his stomach, welcoming it, but his stress was on the rise again.

"Which is why it may help to talk to me..." the elder took a deep breath continued to rub.  
>"Let's think about this. We already talked about the possibility of it being a fox... Foxes are... energetic... playful... cunning... tricky... how do you address a creature like that?"<p>

B thought for a long moment.  
>"How does one address something that will most likely lie?" He took a breath and let it out slowly.<p>

"With the truth..." the elder mumbled back automatically.

"Even if I was upfront and honest, I cannot be certain what I get for an answer will be the truth in return..." The lightheaded feeling passed and he removed the cool pack. He giggled lightly as a ticklish spot was found.  
>"If deception is the name of the game, then perhaps I will play along."<p>

"I doubt they will flat out lie..." the elder mused.  
>"They may give you half truths and bend the truth... More for fun then to do harm... You could picture it as... a young A..."<p>

B only nodded and closed his eyes.  
>"I don't like half-truths. I knew the raven was lying to me. I know the difference, I'm a natural lie detector. I wish it were a little easier..." His breath caught and knowing what that meant, he removed the older raven's hand.<p>

"You can always cross examine the fox and raven, if they give the same answer then you know its likely the truth, if the answer is different you know one or both were lying..."

"If they were lying, one or both, then really, it will only stress me out. I don't like having my head done in with lies. It's bad enough I hear enough of them at Wammy's and sometimes from Watari, but to be deceived when all I seek are a few simple answers, it's worse..."

"I doubt they will really lie to you..." the elder stated and took a deep calming breath, looking outside to see night was falling fast upon them once more...  
>"Would you like to go try now?"<p>

"Not tonight..." he murmured.  
>"I need time to prepare myself. I want to go tomorrow."<p>

"Are you sure?" the elder asked, planting a soft kiss on the neck, "If we go now, before the case is on our minds, won't we have a better chance of being level headed?"

"I want to go tomorrow," he repeated, breath catching slightly at the kiss.  
>"I want to relax and enjoy our first night here. We just arrived and yes, though it will be busy tomorrow, it is ample time for me to prepare."<p>

"Alright..." the elder purred and slowly moved up and down his neck with soft kisses, not intending the action to go anywhere or lead to anything, simply wanting to make his friend feel better.


	25. Cases 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 105

B welcomed the gentle attentions and felt himself relax. He edged closer and rolled slightly so he can hug his friend, nuzzling and softly kissing a cheek while the attention continues.  
>"Love you Lawli..." he breathed.<p>

A quiet 'and I love you' was purred out between kisses somewhere only barely loud enough for the younger to hear.

The younger raven only wanted to enjoy the kisses, ignoring his body's natural response to the attention and feeling himself calm down further.

After a while the elder started to become slightly sluggish, feeling suddenly tired from the relaxing activity.

"Let's get some rest, ok?" B nuzzled a neck, placing soft kisses there before parting and removing his pants and shirt, crawling to the top of the bed to move the covers.  
>"Come, Lawli." He crawled in and gestured the older inside.<p>

L did the same and cuddled up with his friend, for the first time in a long time falling asleep long before him.

B smiled lazily, petting his friend's hair until he fell asleep some time later.

It wouldn't be until the morning that they awoke to freshly made jam on toast with a side of criminal case files brought to them by their adopted father who after seeing them alseep decided they had best stay that way.  
>"Good morning boys..."<br>"Good morning Watari..."

"Morning Watari..." B opened his eyes, feeling them uncomfortably dry, having forgotten to remove the contacts. He groaned and removed them, blinking his eyes repeatedly before moisture was granted back.

I assume that these are the files for the case?" The elder asked dryly, taking the glass of orange juice from the tray.

"Yes, there are several, but I am giving you a few at a time. These are far from petty and are in fact rather tame in comparison to the others that are in store."  
>B plucked a jam covered toast and chewed on it hungrily.<br>"Any aliases that can perhaps be removed?"  
>"I imagine there are several, but those will be revealed in time."<p>

L took up the first file and opened it revealing some rather nasty photos.  
>"So how many of these are done by the serial killer and how many are suspected copy cats or others taking advantage of the panic and disorder?" He questioned the elder, tossing the photos from the surveillance camera to his friend, not knowing if he could get anything from what appeared to be quite distorted pictures.<p>

"From what I gathered at the Intel, there are perhaps around 9 serials, 20 copy cats and 50 others taking advantage of the paranoia and fueling it with minor, but no less shocking crimes."  
>B held the photograph, but was unable to get anything. He set it aside and awaited the next photo.<p>

"Some of these are simply beatings... no killing involved..." the elder pointed out, sorting through the cases.  
>"That's not to say that they where not failed attempts by the main killer... nothing can be counted out so soon..." He handed his friend another photo from the second file, putting everything to memory as he goes through each article of evidence at an astonishing rate.<p>

"As I stated, these are the more tamer versions. When you are ready for the next load, I will give them to you. It does not get any better from here on out, I assure you."  
>"Watari, can you hand me a lined paper and a pen, please? I want to help Lawli and this is the only way I know how." The elder nods and removes a pocket notebook from his waistcoat and hands it and a pen to the red eyed raven.<p>

L does not look over at his friend, becoming far too focused on his work and blocking out everything around him. Despite the pace, he didn't miss a single beat, not a strand of hair or smudged fingerprint went astray from his meticulous mental cataloging.

B looks over every photograph handed to him. The ones with clear images and good face captures, he'd begin writing the names down. His kanji was not perfect but it would look more or less like the name that was revealed to him. He made sure to number them all according to the number listed at the bottom corner.

The pair worked like a machine for the entire day, sorting through the evidence over and over again with B finding names and picking alias and L's mind constructing theory's. Of the pile of two were solved then and there with the help of B's eyes, which could not be submitted as evidence so L cleverly placed together the evidence and set them in a pile before working on the others. The next was harder again and took a full three hours of L's mind wracking and raking the evidence with a fine tooth comb before an answer could be found which it was, leaving three solved to two which needed more, but the dark eyed raven formulated a report on where this extra information was likely to be found by the police.  
>The raven's worked so well together that barely any words needed to be exchanged, each seeming to be on the same wave length as the other. So much so that as the day drew to a close they both knew when to call it a day at the same time, each exhausted from the use of there individual special abilities.<p>

B looked at the pile of reports, case files and the accumulation of their individual and collaborative works. It had been a long day and he had a light headache from the eye strain. He was mentally exhausted and knew very well his friend was also. He was perched on the bed, looking out into the large city before looking at one of the blank lined papers.  
>"Lawli, look at me please, I want to show you what I see."<p>

L looked up from the file he was simply straightening up as the corners sticking out of the edge had bothered him for some reason. Taking a deep breath he moved towards his friend and sat close, looking into his almost glowing red eyes.

Knowing the older would not move in the slightest, B took the pen to paper and began to sketch out his friend. He tried not to take too long, but ended up spending a good 20 minutes with the details. He did not add L's numbers, only showing his true name and how they almost danced across his forehead. When the image was done, he turned the page and revealed the finished product.  
>"Just imagine seeing this daily for 9 years on several people. Would you like this gift if you had it? Seeing red all the time?"<p>

The detective took the paper and looked it up and down carefully.  
>"Many other animals are colorblind..." he mumbled softly.<br>"What would really bother me is this..." he ran his fingers across the name slightly and what he knew his friend saw above it.

"I don't want to see the true names of people and have to pretend to acknowledge them and such. I'm colorblind Lawli. I can't see any other color tones. I can only see every thing in red hues. I've never seen or known what blue or green look like. They are just words that don't mean anything to me... I call you Lawli because I could not sound out your real last name. I keep calling you Lawli because I grew used to it and I would not call you by any other moniker."

L took the picture and symbolically tore it right down the middle, tossing it to the floor and pulling his friend into a warm hug.  
>"I hope to be able to make up for the things in life I cannot help you change because I love and care for you deeply..."<p>

"I do to, more than you know. You're my Lawli and my love for you is greater than anything and everything." He returned the embrace and nuzzled a neck.

"Come on... its time we do something for you now we have finished doing all of this for me..." the elder whispered and helped his friend to his feet.

B gave a questioning look, but let himself be led into whatever his friend had planned.

"I am sure whatever challenge you face here we will not only face together but you will come out on top..." the elder assured as they walked past the pair of stone foxes who guarded the way.

"I certainly hope so... I would be surprised if it were an entirely different spirit altogether..." He sighed and shivered lightly from the cooler air and walked to where he sensed the highest spiritual presence. It took some time, but near a small fountain was his chosen location. He took a deep breath and sat himself down, closing his eyes and freeing his mind, letting it go into that realm he knew so well.


	26. Kitsune 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 106

This place was different again then the grave yard and in his dreams. Though the same darkness and fog filled the area the sound of the fountain and the statues of the temple where all in the shadows of this place, and never before had he seen walls in this realm. It took a long time staring to see the movement, but two sets of glowing eyes where peering out from behind another kitsune statue, one set blue and another red though not the same red as was present in his own eyes.

He stood up and cautiously took a few steps forwards, bowing politely before talking.  
>"I am Beyond Birthday, and I have spoken to the scaled one and the guide. I seek answers and I am hoping that perhaps some can be given to the ones I ask.<p>

The two creatures almost bounced forward, sleek white body's and glowing eyes nearly blinding in this dark place. Both stood side by side and bowed politely back, something Beyond was not used to from one of these spirits.  
>"We are the kitsune..." they spoke together, voices in harmony though one was clearly feminine and the other more masculine.<br>"And this is our home..."

"I am honored to be in your presence. May I ask you some questions? As stated, I seek some answers regarding who and what I am."

The feminine one made a noise that sounded like something between a purr and a coo and bounded up to investigate the boy more closely while the blue eyed creature hung back, seemingly more alert and yet still in unison.  
>"We will answer your questions if you answer ours." Something about them seemed childlike and innocent yet they both radiated power in waves that where so strong they where just barely visible to Beyonds highly tuned eyes.<p>

"I will agree to this." Their eyes were so blinding in this darkness that he was squinting, tempted to shield his eyes, but unsure if they would be offended.

"What's it like being a dreamer?" the little red eyed one asks, sniffing at the boys ankles and sticking out a small, rough tongue for a tentative lick.

"I can't say it's been easy..." he replied, remembering everything that had happened up until recent days.  
>"I'm ridiculed by my other peers, ignored, called names, physically attacked.. My only beacons are my adopted brother and sister, A and Lawli."<p>

"I have a brother..." the feminine fox looks back at the blue for a moment and tilts her head to the side curiously.  
>"We were never dreamers..." he speaks up finally, still not daring to come much closer.<p>

"How is this possible, if I may be so bold to ask?" He tilted his head in a similar, almost canine way.  
>"Are you simply spirits that have always existed?"<p>

They looked at each other again before looking back up at him with there shining eyes.  
>"We cannot remember..." they admit in unison.<br>"Most here where dreamers at one point or at least some other form of life but not us... The dreamers built this place for us a long time ago and before that..." Another quick glance at each other and suddenly the raven could see what they where doing, they where talking to each other with their eyes the same way he and L would when working together, they where confirming what they knew, each admitting to the other that they knew nothing before the more bold female would speak up for them both once more.  
>"There was only darkness and ourselves..."<p>

"Have... 'dreamers' been around a long time then? I know I'm not the only one; the serpent told me this, and I got confirmation from the raven. I was also told that the personality, habits and mannerisms one has in life determines our final 'forms' in death."

"A 'dreamer' is simply an creature still living who finds there way into our world... most animals come here while dreaming..." the blue eyed one explains quietly.  
>"Some are born different, others simply master themselves but in the end all dreamers become spirits to dwell here..." Both look at each other again for a moment before the small red eyed fox gives a little nod and in one graceful jump springs to Beyond's shoulder and leans around to peer closely into his eyes.<br>"You where born with Shinigami eyes..." she commented lightly, "that is why you can see us, rather then simply falling into a world your subconscious creates... Dreamers see us... and in places we have dwelled for a long time you may even see us while awake... us, and the souls of the dead who have yet to leave this place..."

B nodded his head as he absorbed the information relayed to him.  
>"How do mortals even get Shinigami eyes in the first place? I'm not sure you have those answers either, but it's been doing my head in for some time now. For as long as I can remember, I have been driven into near madness at points in my life where I absolutely do not want this gift I've been given. I still don't want this gift. I've never wanted it."<p>

The little fox looked back at her brother and then back at him sadly.  
>"We do not know..." they admitted in unison, looking slightly saddened.<br>"Our role here is to provide a safe place for lost souls... those who die suddenly or violently sometimes become lost here... and there are dark creatures who will torment and corrupt them if they wander to long... This place is a safe place for them to await a guide... or the few who steak to become a spirit themselves..." the blue eyed kit explains, Making beyond wonder how two such small creatures protect anything in a place where a giant serpent wouldn't be an oddity...

"It's because of this we do not leave this place... the knowledge we have is only that brought to us or that which we had before our memories begun... and I have seen, but never spoken to your kind before..."

Again, there was a nod of acknowledgement from the red eyed raven.  
>"I am honored then to have been the first of my kind to communicate so openly with you. I am admittedly a little upset that I will probably not get any more information, but it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He bowed politely again.<br>"Did you have any questions you'd like to ask me? We did agree to this."

"No..." the littlest one mumbled, tilting her head to the side with an expression that could only be a smile.  
>"We are sorry we cannot be of more help..." the blue stated, "but there is some wisdom we can share with you that you may find of interest..."<p>

"Oh?" He tilted his head and brought up an index finger to unconsciously nibble at.  
>"Anything that can help me would be greatly appreciated."<p>

"Your friend..." the blue started, looking towards the emptiness in the direction that the boy would be sitting.  
>"If you die first... they will come after him on his death..."<p>

"Can I protect him? Is there any way to?" Worry grew and was starting to distort the world he was in. He fought for control over his anxiety, wanting to know the answer.

"Yes..." the blue answered simply.  
>"The darkness dare not come into this place for we protect it... to find his soul and bring it to a place like this to await a guide or to become a spirit... that is the best way to fight the darkness..."<p>

Everything became clear again, filled with the relief that there was a way to keep his friend safe.  
>"How do you do that, if I may ask?"<p>

"Protect this place?" the blue asks, looking to the walls which on close inspection seem to crawl with corruption trying to enter.

The young raven nodded, his curiosity was at its height and his head was tilted in that odd-for-a-human canine way.

The little red jumped down from his shoulder and returned to her brother, as soon as she reached him both of their fur bristled and there auras grew, fangs enlarging as there body's melted together. The power and their body grew together until the now twin tailed fox, one red eye one blue towered above Beyond, huge white fangs bared and claws so sharp they sliced holes in the dark ground. The creatures voice now lost roared loudly and flung itself towards a wall, grabbing the corruption and ripping it from its hiding place with massive and powerful jaws. As the corruption screamed the twin tailed fox tore into it violently, what appeared to be blood leaking from its form. The once innocent looking creatures where so frightening in there combined form that even Beyond had to take a step back as the corruption faded into nothingness and the beast charged to attack another in the same violent way.


	27. Innocence 29

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 107

B's eyes were wide as he took in everything. He was even fearful and stumbled backwards, feeling his heartbeat go faster. Yet, there was that strange morbid curiosity that held his attention, so he didn't look away as the defenses continued.

The creature roared once more and what was left of the dark creatures scampered away, trying to leave through the walls as fast as possible. The fox was growling and breathing heavily when its mismatched eyes focused in on Beyond once more, giving another loud roar in an attempt to speak.

The red eyed raven didn't know whether to wake himself or not, fear and awe keeping him where he was.

It stood quietly for a long moment before leaning both legs forward and bowing its head politely the same way the pair had upon greeting the raven.

His gaze softened, recognizing that he would not be harmed and bowed once more.  
>"Thank you..." He smiled and returned to his seated form, waking himself from this realm back into reality.<p>

L looked to his friend having been seated there next to him for what Beyond felt to be a short time when in reality they had been there for almost two hours.  
>"Anything useful?"<p>

B shook his head.  
>"No, they know as much as I do, but this is a good place. They've protected it for a long time. The beings like the serpent made this place for them."<p>

"Them?" the elder boy asked, looking both curious and confused.

"The twin foxes that guard this place. They have always been in existence. They are male and female. They know not of how they came into existence, only that the ones with my eyes gave them this location to protect."

"Protect from what?" L wasn't surprised to hear that the creatures where twins after seeing all the statues in this shrine sitting in pairs, he was however surprised that they were more protectors and less the tricksters he had came to envision...

"Corrupted souls and beings that seek to destroy the peace they have here. They are very powerful. I've seen this power myself. It's frightening almost..."

The tired eyed detective looked to one of the silver statues that he found particularly beautiful.  
>"So they knew even less then the raven..." he sighed sadly.<p>

"Unfortunately, that's true. I may have to go back to your family's graveyard and speak to it more directly when we get back."

"But if they are just guides then wouldn't they be anywhere where there is a lot of people buried?" the elder mumbled  
>"Maybe there are more helpful ones..."<p>

"True, and Japan is a large place, even if it is an island. Plenty of places to seek out answers." He shivered violently then, the cold finally registering. He shuddered and stood up.  
>"I'm ready to call it a day for now."<p>

The elder nodded and got to his feet as well, taking his friend by the hand and leading him out. Before they got to the exit B could almost swear he saw the two creatures bounding around, tumbling head over heals in play wrestling just as any young animal.

B smiled at this, it lifted his spirits and put him in a better mood.  
>"I'm ready for a shower, I need one badly..."<p>

L gave him a small smile and led him back to their room slowly, not seeing anyone on their way much to both boys surprise. Once safely back in their room the elder begun to undress when their adopted father entered with trays of food and a warm smile.  
>"How was it today?"<p>

"It was very nice to get out and have fresh air Watari, thank you." He smiled kindly in return and eyed the food available.  
>"We got a lot accomplished and the visit to the shrine was a welcome trip also."<p>

"That's good to hear..." he smiled and looked to the sorted files on the tray from before.  
>"How did you fare with those cases?"<br>"Three are done... two simply lack evidence..."

"You would not mind if I took the three that are done back to my room to review them? I will hand them in first thing tomorrow morning."  
>B stripped down and trotted into the bathroom, setting and adjusting the temperature to his preference.<p>

"That is more then fine, though I would like you to only give the police this request for more information on the other cases..." the dark eyed boy mumbled and took the sweet sushi roll from the plate, inspecting it curiously.

"If there is anything else, I will let you know. They are not going to withhold anything from you, I assure you this." Watari smiled and stood up, looking at the pile of completed paperwork and taking the completed cases, browsing through them once before looking back.  
>"I'm very proud of the both of you. You're well on your way to accomplishing many great things."<p>

L gave a small smile at this and popped the food into his mouth, cringing at first but soon the sweet taste of the mayonnaise overpowered the dislike.

The younger raven was diligent in his cleansing routine and was soon walking back outside, making his way to his suitcases and retrieving a set of clothes.  
>"Thank you Watari, for bringing us here. The closer Lawli is to the source of the crimes, the better he can solve them."<p>

"And the quicker the relay of information between sources..." the elder added, holding out a sushi roll for his friend to try.

"Agreed." B slipped on clean boxers and took the offered food, sniffing at it and playing with it for a moment before taking a hesitant bite, reacting in a similar manner as the older, but deciding it wasn't going to kill him and popped the other half, wincing a little.

"It would take many days to have evidence shipped from here to England and back again..." the elder mumbled, popping another in his mouth.  
>"By then leads would go cold..."<p>

"Which is why we are all here. Crime never sleeps, or so the saying goes." He reached to his tray and eyed the food and took the same sushi and chewed on it slowly.  
>"That's also why you're a good match for crime, Lawli. You're the justice than never sleeps also."<p>

The elder tilted his head to the side in thought.  
>"Perhaps..." The elders words where now muffled by the food, quickly getting him scolded by their adopted father.<br>"Do not talk with your mouth full." The statement, like so many other things, went completely ignored by the dark eyed boy.

"We'll be fine from here on out Watari. Thank you." He took more sushi and chewed on that thoughtfully.  
>"This is not that bad," he murmured, voice muffled somewhat.<p>

"They are disgusting at first, then sweet on the inside..." the elder mumbled, curious as to what the food comprised of. Slowly he lay one down on its side and began to peel it to find out.


	28. Xi 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 108

The younger raven watched his friend at work, stirring his own curiosity. His head tilted to the side and he leaned in somewhat, still chewing on the sushi in his mouth.

He was surprised that beneath the rice was a layer of something he couldn't identify and a small salad pastel.  
>"Tuna salad..." the elderly male informed him, seeing his boys poke at the contents curiously.<p>

"Curious..." he swallowed the food in his mouth before reaching for another and putting it into his mouth.

"Very..." L leaned down to the plate and licked the tuna out of the middle like some kind of animal, once again being scolded by Watari.  
>"L, it is inappropriate for a young man such as yourself to eat in that manner."<p>

B took the sushi from him and gave a light smack on the hand. He offered the dissected one out with an open palm.

L once more leaned down and ate the rest of the pastel without using his hands, earning him another groan from the elderly gentlemen who was not sure where the boy developed these eating habits..

The younger swallowed and waited before his friend was done before offering another, holding this one more delicately. He popped one of his own and chewed before looking at their father curiously and returning his attention back.

"I do not know where you learned your manners L..." he sighed, giving up and moving away.

B grinned when their father was out of sight and looked back to the detective.  
>"How long has no one noticed that we feed each other like this all the time, I wonder?"<p>

The elder shrugged and watched his father leave.  
>"Perhaps they simply do not watch us eat..."<p>

"The little things often go ignored. It's a pity." He set the tray back down and looked to his, noting he had one extra sushi and have it to his friend.  
>"Then again... Wammy's kids never look up."<p>

"I am not sure it is a bad thing..." the elder mumbled and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Perhaps not, but who am I to say anything different?" He put the last morsel of sushi and chewed thoughtfully, watching his friend.

L leaned back in the bed and closed his eyes, trying to digest all of the days events.

The younger raven chose not to interact with him until the thought process was over, keeping to himself and putting both plates and trays onto the fold-out table.

"We did learn one thing..." he mumbled.  
>"With defined male and female characters, it is easier to profile these spirits and predict their responses..."<p>

As the week progressed, L and B worked to tackle case after case. The young geniuses honing their individual abilities and handing in several reports from the completed case files. It was on the 5th night into their investigations that something would happen to the red eyed raven.

The day had ended on another positive note for the pair, but it was one of the most exhausting days yet. Neither had any qualms about going to bed earlier and did so.

The red eyed raven settled himself into sleep, not expecting the events that would follow to occur that night.

As the darkness surrounded him, something unexpected happened. Two bright white balls begun bouncing forward, slowly coming into view as the two small kitsune said to never leave their shrine.

The young raven tilted his head curiously. He knew that they were given that shrine for a reason, but why they would leave it was a little unexpected and worrying. He walked forward in his realm, still not acknowledging it as such and stopped when the blue eyed fox did.  
>"What's going on?"<p>

"Another dreamer!" the female chirped.  
>"In the shrine, come alone as to not scare him..." the blue instructed, turning around and bounding back once more, tying to get back to there home before the darkness returned.<p>

"Another...?" It hit B then that they may in fact might have found another of his kind. He nodded and started to follow the pair, unsure of what was in store. He noted at how they paused now and then to wait for him. He knew there was no limit to his energy in a dream and therefore did not tire out. The shrine in this realm was coming into view and he slowed his pace then. He was cautious and entered the shrine's space before the one they spoke of came into view.

"This boy!" the red eyed female chirps.  
>"He sees us when he sleeps!"<br>The little boy appeared to be sitting there crying though he was not asleep and could not see them. A look at his eyes told Beyond he was not the same kind of dreamer that he was, with Crystal blue eyes and short brownish blond hair. He was a mixed Japanese boy about the age of nine or ten...  
>"They beat him... he has come here to hide..." the blue states, "He is a dreamer but until he sleeps we cannot talk to him... you can go to him when you wake but you must hurry... your friend will wake soon and you will be threatening as a pair."<p>

He nodded and began to wake himself up.  
>Back in reality, B slowly stirred, looking into his friend's sleeping features, unable to determine how long it would be before he woke up again. Very carefully, he removed himself from the bed as lightly as he could before removing warmer clothes and going to the door, opening it and closing it behind him softly. He walked the hallway and down the stairs as silently as he could manage before reaching the small foyer and walking outside. He didn't leave any room for doubt because he knew these animals were telling the truth. With that, he began his trek to the shrine, ignoring some of the odd passersby until his destination was reached. He found the location of his choice, scouting the immediate area, unable to see anyone else at first. Soon enough, a little boy was spotted, sniffling and alone.<p>

The boy looked whimpered a soft 'go away' and used a hand to try and shoo something that Beyond couldn't see.

"It's ok, I'm a friend. I'm not going to hurt you. Why are you out here alone?" He went into his crouch and didn't make a move to comfort him just yet.

The little boy jumped back a little, apparently not knowing that Beyond was there until he spoke.  
>"The doggy led me here..." he whimpered in Japanese, looking much younger in person then in the dream.<p>

"Doggy?" he tilted his head and nibbled an index finger.  
>"What does this doggy look like?"<p>

"Brown... with a w-white belly..." he whimpered, pointing at the nothingness.  
>"It's his fault they hate me! They say he is dead but he isn't he is here and he just won't go!"<p>

"I'm really sorry, but I can't see what you're pointing at either. I can see something else though. I see names and numbers." He looked in the general direction anyways, still unable to see anything.

"I know you can't see him! No one can see him! They say he got hit by a car my puppy, but he is here and no one will believe me!"

"You can see the dead, can't you? I don't know what that must be like for you. I can sympathize. I'm attacked for my eyes too."

"They hate me..." he whimpered and rolled in a tighter ball and suddenly becoming more upset.  
>"Don't lick me! Its your fault! Don't lick me!"<p> 


	29. Xi 2

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 109

"Please don't lick him," he implored at the nothingness, hoping it would stop whatever was bothering the poor lad.  
>"Who hates you?"<p>

"Mother and father and the children at my school and... and everyone!" he cried softly.  
>"Chu was my only friend and now everyone hates me even more because they can't see him!"<p>

"I'm sorry that your family hates you, but you're lucky to even have a family. I lost mine when I was much younger than you. My mother tried to kill me."

The boy pulls up his shirt to reveal a badly bruised chest.  
>"They beat me! I'm not lucky!" he whined.<br>"Chu protected me and they beat him then they said he was hit by a car and killed the next day but he is right there!"

"I'm sorry still. I know you suffer from this, but is there anything I can do to help lessen your pain? Would you like to to walk with me for a little while?" He offered his hand then with a small smile.  
>"We don't have to leave this shrine if you don't want to."<p>

The boy looks over to the little dog only he can see.  
>"Chu likes it here..." he mumbled, "he thinks it's safe here..."<p>

"Then we don't have to leave here if you don't want to. It can be just us and Chu until someone finds you. I know you don't want to leave, but it's not safe out here on your own."

"It will be worse when they find me..." the boy mumbled and looked up at the red eyed boy, not so much as flinching when those crimson orbs met his sparkling blue ones.

Once again, B offers his hand with a smile, standing up and leaning down.  
>"For now, let's forget that this ever happened. Let's walk around here. You know, I can see the foxes that live here too."<p>

The young boy takes his hand and climbs to his feet, looking around at the big fox statues.  
>"There are real foxes here?" he asks, looking to his 'dog' once more.<br>"Oh... Chu can see them..."

"Yeah. I can only see them when I am sleeping though. They told me about you. They told me to find you. I didn't think you were so young. Age is not important though. Where are my manners? I'm Ryuzaki. It's nice to meet you."

The little boy gave a small smile and a nod.  
>"I'm Xi..."<p>

"Nice to meet you Xi. We are not strangers anymore." He smiled and slowly began to walk with his new companion.  
>"You don't have normal eyes as everyone else. I can't describe it, but when I see your eyes, I see a color I've never seen before. I can only see things in red hues, and nothing more. Are you the same?"<p>

"No... I can see colors... all different colors..." he mumbles and looks down to where Beyond assumed that the boys dog was sitting.  
>"My mother says I am a demon because I see grandma and grandpa sometimes but they died before I was born... and sometimes I see other people walking around that no one else does..."<p>

"My mother called me a demon child because of my red eyes. I was called a demon child by my un-father because I told him that he was going to die within a month. Mother got mad at me and then tried to kill me when what I told my un-father came true." He looked at his companion and frowned slightly.  
>"I know what it's like to be an outcast Xi. I'm an orphan and many of my peers at the orphanage that I live in still treat me like a monster. You're lucky you can see in every color. I'm totally colorblind with red hued vision. I don't know if you remember me saying this, but I can see the real names of people and I can tell when they are going to die... you're lucky that you can see dead people. I am like a living reaper..."<p>

The boy shook his head slowly and sniffled, "No... I can't tell if there alive or dead and sometimes they're really mean!" he states, "and they all talk to me at once sometimes and they're so loud!"

"It's going to take time to control these abilities Xi," B stated.  
>"It's very overwhelming and you'll feel that you can't go on with it, but there is an upside to your gift that mine lacks. You have the potential to share messages with loved ones. You can even ask the foxes to take some of your burdens from you. You're in a safe place now Xi, just know that." He smiles warmly and continues his slower pace.<p>

"I don't have anyone like that..." he mumbles looking down at the ground once more.  
>"Well Chu..."<p>

"We are a rare kind Xi. We have these... gifts... for a reason. I would like for you to find a positive use for yours. Can you promise me that despite your pains that you'll become stronger and control your abilities? If you do, you'll make me very happy. I want to see you go far Xi, I really do."

"I hope you're right..." the boy mumbled and sat back down on the floor of the small building, reaching out to stroke the air where he saw his dog.

"If things don't work out, then you can come seek me out. I'm staying with my good friend at a police motel not far from here. My adoptive father can take you in and you can come to England and live there with us. Just give your family one more chance Xi. If they hurt you again, you know where to go."

"Alright... thank you." the boy gave another little smile and headed out of the little temple, his spirit dog following close behind.

B watched the young boy with a small smile. He had a really good feeling about him. His life span indicated a full one. He knew he was doing the right thing. He looked at the sky and noted that the sun was just starting to tint the buildings with light. He turned to the direction of the hotel and started to run back, knowing full well that his friend had been up for at least an hour now.

L sat on the bed alone for some time; he did wonder where his friend was, but assumed that he had gone to the little shrine to speak to the foxes alone.

The younger raven made it back inside just as the early morning traffic was accumulating, sparing himself a headache from the names. He made his way back to the safety of their room and knocked before entering, looking a little breathless, but very happy.  
>"I found another one! I found another one almost like me."<p>

The dark eyed raven bit at a thumb, not sure he completely understood the younger boy.  
>"Another one?"<p>

"He can see the dead just as clearly as I can see you. He can even interact with them. The foxes led me to him. His name is Xi. His eyes are different. They made me see a new color that was very vivid."

"That sounds rather frightening..." the dark eyed raven mumbled, biting a finger.  
>"To see the dead..."<p>

"It's better than what I have. He was very upset. His family treats him the same way everyone at Wammy's treats us. We walked and talked and I convinced him to come here if he's having a hard time so that he gets a better shot at life."

"I am sure Watari will be able to do something for him..." L tilts his head slightly to the other side, trying to picture what it would be like to see those who are dead...

"I hope so to. I felt bad for him, but his family is still alive. I told him to give his family another chance. I see a long life for him. I would like for it to stay that way." He looks to the bathroom and then to himself, determining a quick shower was in order.

"I'm going to take a short shower Lawli. You're getting new cases in today, right?" He stripped down and walked into the bathroom, setting and adjusting the temperature.

"Yes... three new ones to be exact..." the elder mumbled bit his thumb once more, he had already taken his shower and was eager to get to breakfast.  
>"I think I have almost cracked this killer..."<p>

"Good. It's too bad that a clearer image has not yet been found. It's upsetting that I can't get a name from any of the photographs of the suspect." He said no more and hopped in for 10 minutes and hopped back out, shaking out the water and letting the rest drip dry. He re-dressed and perched himself on the bed.

"I have created an in depth character profile however..." the older mumbled.  
>"He seems to chose victims in a pattern... Boy, girl, girl, boy girl, girl etc..."<p> 


	30. Serial 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 110

"What were his last 3 victims in order? Does the killer have an age group within the children he targets the most?"

"He does... this also seems to be following a pattern... this time descending... The ages of his victims seem to go down slowly... by this pattern I can deduce that the next target will be male and between the ages of 5 and 9... followed by a female whose ages are slowly going up of the age 15-19."

This was a worrying deduction. By his friend's estimates, any young boy between 5 and 9 years of age is a potential target, even his new friend.  
>"What sort of children does the serial killer target from what you've gathered so far?"<p>

"It varies..." the elder mumbled.  
>"So far there is not much of a pattern in appearance or even location... I have a theory that his final choice comes down to availability..."<p>

"The killer is opportunistic... This is not good Lawli. That means our suspect could literally be anywhere at any time. Oh I hope Xi gets home... I knew I should have taken him back with me... I should not have left him go back alone..."

"You said his life span is to be long..." the detective mumbled, pulling a file down off his desk, "and I intend to bait him out before any more killings can take place... with this information I know how to set a trap..."

"Yes, but the numbers can be cut short by the doings of others, that's been proven already. How are you going to set a trap for someone we barely see in the first place?"

"He is opportunistic... we simply get a child or even a doll or the age that he is targeting and put it in a position that is impossible to ignore; completely helpless and with no witnesses when in fact the police will be everywhere..." he explained.  
>"While the places he hunts in varies, they are still isolated to this area so provided we set a few traps at once one is almost guaranteed to be tripped..."<p>

The younger nodded, absorbing the information and filing it away.  
>"The sooner this can get done, the sooner that this part of the city will be free of a child murderer. It's a damn shame. The killer was a child too once. Broken home perhaps, but tragic nonetheless."<p>

"I can ask him that once I capture him..." L had used his father's voice distorter to speak to the police on the phone a few times now and from the sounds of everyone at the headquarters they where all on edge.  
>"There have been a lot of copy cats as well... those will be easier to spot once the culprit is dealt with... people killing their own children or the children of someone they have a grudge again thinking that the serial killer will be blamed and they will get away with it, in my eyes however these people are even more evil for taking advantage of something like this and I will not let a single person escape..."<p>

There was a sound of acknowledgement from the younger raven.  
>"How anyone can even think of murdering a child... it makes my blood boil. I am sympathetic to this cause because I was there, because A was there, because nearly everyone at Wammy's was there. Countless others who were not fortunate have met a bitter end because of the real monsters that walk this earth. They think I'm a monster? They're the monsters Lawli! They're they ones out there causing the pain and deaths of innocents, something we were spared of!" B was panting hard, his stress had risen again. The topic of young death was a touchy one with him. It was right up there with his eyes. It bothered him and he was very sensitive to it.<p>

"I will find justice for those already damaged by this Beyond..." the elder stated in his usual monotone but with a certain firmness and confidence.  
>"They will not get away with any of this..."<p>

B took a few breaths, but the stress refused to leave him. It angered him so much that this killer had been running rampant for this long and it angered him that he refused to be caught.  
>"We will catch him... we'll catch him and make him suffer for his crimes..." His fists clenched and unclenched, his upper body was shaking lightly from his stress.<p>

The dark eyed raven could see his friend's obvious distress and instead headed for the phone next to the bed with the voice distorter attached.  
>"Help me arrange my trap with the police..."<p>

"Alright..." He stood up and went to his friend, standing loyally by his side.  
>"Let's catch us a monster..."<p>

L pressed the autodial that his father had set up for him, the phone only ringing twice before the Chief of Police answered the phone.

The voice on the other line was of an older cop nearing retirement.  
>"This is Chief of Police Ohba here. This is L, I presume?"<p>

"This is L..." the boy replied, his voice distorted by the machine.  
>"I am joined by Ryuzaki, who has been of great help during this investigation..."<p>

"We are honored that the both of you have chosen to dedicate your time in assisting us with these cases. I was informed yesterday from Watari that you've narrowed down a location of the child murderer, am I correct?"

"That is correct." the dark eyed raven mumbled.  
>"There is a file given to you late yesterday with a map in which I have circled the area in which the killer attacks, there is a 95% chance all future killings will happen in the indicated area unless he runs out of suitable victims and moves or he is frightened away by police presence which i highly doubt as he seems to feel he is above you and is challenging you, and your men directly."<p>

"Yes, I have reviewed this map and the information relayed to me. We had an admittedly vague idea of where he lurks, but were unable to come up with anything solid. This map and the information given tells me that you have a plan in mind."

"It does indeed." the dark eyed raven smirks slightly, knowing that his plan is solid and that he is about to capture a criminal no one else could.

"Alright, I am willing to partake in this operation with you. I will help with placing my men around the circled area in such a way that it works to our advantage. It is true he's challenged us a lot on this, but we lack in some skills that you clearly possess. Again for that we thank you. Now then, what course of action do you see this working at the best possible advantage point?"

"There are, as you can see, four red dots, these corresponding with four other close up maps each clearly labeled. These areas all have three things in common, they are places that are similar to but not the same as where other killings have taken place, they all have vantage points in which your men will be able to see what takes place yet the killer won't, and thirdly and most importantly, it would not be unusual to see a child in such a place..." the dark eyed raven explained.  
>"These are to be where we set our trap, we simply bait them with a doll of the description I have sent with the file each night and I estimate that within a week one of these traps will be tripped by the killer."<p>

B listened intently, not missing single detail. He was worried about his new friend with gifted eyes like him. He could only hope that nothing bad had happened.  
>"Yes, I can see where this is going. We can have an effigy of a child made from one of the local doll makers here. We know of one specifically that has a few life sized ones. I can contact her and inform her of the specifications you have given us. You can be assured we've had our eye on him for many weeks now, but nothing solid to convict him. This operation will most certainly be able to provide that solid evidence to convict him."<p> 


	31. Serial 2

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 111

"Be warned that if he senses an increase in police presence his patterns have a 73% chance of changing suddenly, and if they do we will be back at square one..."

"Understood L. Everything we relay in here, I will relay to my men. The sooner we get this done, the better. As we speak, I have sent one of my rookies to go deliver the doll specifications to our doll maker. We have a general idea of his time of day he prefers. It is mid to late evenings and early to mid mornings, but this, too is vague."

"There too is a pattern to when he chooses his victims..." the boy mumbled.  
>"He is getting the young females in the evening and males in the morning... as to whether there is a reason for this it is unknown..."<p>

"Given this, I propose we set up some of the team members during the day and another set in the evening. We can rotate them day and night so as to not be entirely obvious."

"That seems to be acceptable..." the detective mumbles.  
>"There are also four locations there and I wish for only two to be active at one time, that way if he is scoping the area he will not see four similar situations and assume that something is amiss... also note that he will have the murder weapon, a long, thin blade with him and that from the autopsy we know he knows how to use it efficiently... there is a chance he will turn on an officer so be prepared..."<p>

"We are aware of this. If any new developments come in, you will be informed as soon as possible L. This is a team effort. Now then, when the doll is delivered, we can start as soon as possible. The doll should be here tomorrow afternoon. That means first shift will be in the evening hours when he targets what we assume is a female victim. Do note that these child victims are runaways from broken homes or from pure rebellion. We are working to providing services for these broken youth so that they have a better chance at success."

"That is for the best. Thank you for your willingness to accept me police chief." The boy looked to his friend for a moment.  
>"Ryuzaki, do you have anything to add?"<p>

"I have nothing to add, only that I will continue to assist L in this. I am pleased that this person will be brought to justice once and for all. I am sympathetic to the needs of the youth. I came from a broken background, but I am much stronger now."

L gave his friend a small smile.  
>"If there is nothing else, I shall get back to the other cases..."<p>

"No. I will relay everything to my police force. Thank you again for your assistance."

L hung up the phone and looked back at his friend with a small smile.  
>"I think this is going well..."<p>

"Yeah. Hopefully we can catch this prick and send him where he belongs. Even the copycats. They are just as heartless, if not, more so..." He perched himself on the bed again and let out a huff.  
>"It's not right in the least what's going on here..."<p>

"If we put a stop to this here, we are making a difference to the lives of many and bringing justice to those we couldn't help..." the dark eyed raven moved back to his pile of well organized files still on his bed. His only fear was that he would chose his next victim before they could lay their trap which was also a possibility...

"Yes, I don't want to see more innocents being taken away when it was not their time..." He lay on his stomach and closed his eyes. It was still bothering him and it made him very unsettled. He rolled off the bed and stood up, pacing around the room before going to the other bed and laying down again.

"What has you so riled up?" the elder asks quietly, glancing towards his friend for a moment.

"Stress mostly," he replied, rolling off the bed to repeat the process.  
>"I'm upset at this person... I hate him for what he's doing..." Once more he repeated the process and huffed out an annoyed sigh.<p>

"Which is why we are working so hard to stop him..." The dark eyed raven spoke in his usual monotone.

"No offense... I love it here in Japan, but their law enforcement needs a major boost. We're providing that for them, but it goes to show how little is being done because they're simply not smart enough..." He closed his eyes and took even breaths, trying to calm himself down.

"It's not that they're not smart enough..." the elder mumbled.  
>"It's that they are simply not used to crimes of this scale..."<p>

The younger huffed out another sigh.  
>"Yeah, I know... I'm getting myself worked up a lot is all..." He walked to the window and looked out, cringing at the sea of Kanji and returned.<br>"I need to distract myself. What's next on here?"

"Well there's really not much more to do... most of the copy cats have already been captured now and our other small cases finished..."

"I see..." he murmured, looking at the completed pile of paper work. He shuffled back to the other bed and lay down on his stomach again.  
>"I'll rest for a little while then..." He closed his eyes and tried to clear his head of the stress that had accumulated.<p>

The dark eyed boy nodded and moved to lay down on his back next to him, wanting to simply lay down and enjoy the silence for a short while.

B felt the weight shift and opened an eye to see his friend. He smiled and shifted closer.  
>"This is nice though, isn't it Lawli? We're really here in Japan... I can't get over it..."<p>

"We will have to have a better look around once I am done with my work... perhaps other temples?" L was fascinated by the statues that where so large and well made.

The younger nodded in agreement, huffing out a breath.  
>"It will be great to see this place and better appreciate it when there are less criminals walking the streets." He found his way to the older raven's neck and nuzzled it.<p>

"We will have plenty of time to explore later I am sure..." he mumbled.  
>"Watari won't rush us home..."<p>

"Oh I know. I'm in no hurry either. The time we get to explore will be reward enough." He smiled and kissed the neck softly before nuzzling it again.

L pulled his friend completely on top of him and gave a soft kiss to the forehead.

The wild raven was not expecting that and kissed a cheek softly in return. He shifted to get comfortable and gave a few more soft kisses before cuddling.

"I am sure this will be good for both of us..." the detective whispered.  
>"A little break from it all..."<p>

"Indeed..." He returned his attention back to the neck and nuzzled it.  
>"It feels nice to not be in a crummy dorm." He gave more soft kisses and nuzzled again.<p>

"With beds that are actually comfortable... and warm!"

"Yes... And good company and lots of entertainment." He smiled and nuzzled more. His attraction to the detective's neck had no explanation, only that it served as a comforting locale and to tease if he so chose to.


	32. Innocence 30

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 112

L wrapped his arms around B began to rub his friends back slowly, humming softly in content.  
>"No Roger, no base work books... No classes we have already mastered and no sport!"<p>

"No bullying from other kids, no ignorance, and definitely no Roger!" B leaned into the touches on his back, giving a contented sigh and giving a soft kiss in reply.

"I wish A and Bear could have come with us... But I suppose she is busy and Bear would have to wait in quarantine..."

"Yeah... I know that she would love it here. I refuse to let Bear be put in quarantine. I'd send him to the shelter where he'll be taken care of with instructions to not give him away." He decided to lap at the exposed skin for no reason and nuzzled once more.

L shivered with this touch and ran a finger up the length of his friends spine slowly.  
>"We need to get photos of the statues in the shrine for a... Or perhaps you could carve her a set of those ínari kitsune at the gates?"<p>

"I want to see what's available for carving. I would not mind carving the foxes though." He shivered at this, arching his back and gripping an arm lightly before letting himself settle down to resume the gentle treatment.

"It would also need to be treated before it is brought back to England, I suspect this will cost a small fee but should be alright..." the boy gave a small giggle when his friends lips brushed over a ticklish spot of skin.

"It would be worth it in the end to see A's reaction." He smiled and licked that patch of skin before kissing it softly.

More shivers and another laugh escaped, causing the boys chest to heave and wriggle much to the delight of the boy laying on top of it.

B could only giggle in return, nuzzling it, licking it and kissing it with fervor, amused and happy he can make his friend laugh.

More laughing quickly followed, wriggling becoming slowly more intense. It was all to much and felt to good.

B paused at the combination of the sensation of his friend wriggling and the knowledge of their location. He opted instead to be a tease and waited until his friend calmed down before attacking his sensitive spots with soft kisses, grinning fondly.

Again the boy slowly got more worked up. For some reason he was just more ticklish there today than usual.

B scoffed with a smile and continued his ministrations with a smile, giggling away as he did so.  
>"Lawli is silly today," he remarked with a grin.<p>

"I-it's ticklish!" he explained, trying to stop his own movements.

"Is that so?" He decides to use his hands instead, wiggling his fingers across his neck, smiling wider.

The thrashing becomes more intense, trying to suppress the rising laughter and failing.  
>"R-Rue!"<p>

"Not Rue, Ryuzaki!" He giggles and continues his tickle assault, managing to stay on top of his friend somehow.

Once more the boys laughter made it impossible for him to get out the alias of his friend.  
>"R-Ru... Ru-... Hahaha" he continued to struggle, "B-beyond!"<p>

"Ryuzaki," he repeated, giggle fit in total play.  
>"Say it right this time, hehehehe!"<p>

"N-no!" the detective refused, being forced to close his eyes in laughter.

"Ry-u-za-ki!" He grinned wider then sought out more ticklish spots to assault.  
>"I'm not gonna stop until you say it!"<p>

"Ryu- Ryuz-zaki!" The boy laughed, trying to contain himself and failing.

"You refused, you must be punished!" He mock cackled and continued to tickle despite the protests.

"Ahh! no! I-I did what y-you said!" the boy pleaded, secretly enjoying it.

"None have faced my wrath and lived to tell the tale!" Another mock cackle and he continued, finding more ticklish locations and keeping his friend pinned.

The detective was having trouble breathing now, the sensation making it far too hard but the laughter just wouldn't stop!

B reluctantly stopped after a while to let his friend recover. He was panting heavily from his own laughter and didn't stop giggling then.

L spent a long time catching his breath, a slight smile playing on his lips despite the exhaustion. It would be then that Watari walked in to find his boys in a rather disturbing position. One on top of the other and both smiling and panting heavily.

Not entirely sure what to make of the situation, Watari cleared his throat rather loudly to get the boys attention. B looked his way, still panting and giggling.  
>"H-hey Watari..." he managed after a short while.<p>

"W-Watari..." the boy on the bottom panted, looking up at his father innocently.

The elder was at a loss for words, but decided to accept that whatever they did, they did it in innocence.  
>"I've stopped by for the reports and to bring your meal." It was still not a normal sight to see and he was not about to breech the subject, lest he create an uncomfortable atmosphere.<p>

"What are you looking at?" Both boys remained unmoving, trying to catch their breath.

"N-nothing..." he mumbled, directing his attention to the case files.  
>"I see you've completed this work at last. Did you have any issues with them?" B quirked a brow, but rolled off his friend, still giggling lightly and looking at him with a smile.<p>

"No, it was fairly easy as a matter of fact though there was one picture in there that..." the boy looked away for a moment.  
>"It is hard for me to admit but the picture of that... that little girl... It made me vomit..." In their innocence neither boy was completely hardened to the imagery...<p>

"Yeah, it was not an easy thing to look at," confirmed the younger, sitting up.  
>"Lawli was in the bathroom for over an hour before he was able to look back at the file again, even so, we both were not at our best stomach wise."<br>"You must realize that this is very heavy material and evidence. If you feel overwhelmed, don't be afraid to sent a formal withdrawal."

"No... No we are more than happy to work this case, she just..." the dark eyed raven looked back to his friend for a moment.  
>"She looked like A..."<p>

"Oh I see..." The elderly gentleman looked through the files until the one they were upset about came into view.

"I understand how you can see that. A is in good hands. She's a smart young woman and she knows what she is doing. She will not die."  
>"I hope not. The world will be losing an amazing person."<p>

"She was a tourist, here to visit and see all Japan had to offer..." L mumbled.  
>"She asked her mother if she could go and look at the toy shop while they looked at clothes... he took her into an alley and did that... no one sore, and the video footage was too bleary for Ryuzaki to identify anything... But... But she looks so much like our A... To see someone innocent like that, treated in such a way and then simply discarded? it's sickening..."<p>

"I certainly hope this monster is treated fairly, and I'm using that word vaguely here..." B could feel that stress build up again and avoided it by shutting up on the matter.  
>"Well, yes, but we will deal with the criminal in custody according to Japanese law, not our European laws."<p>

"I'm aware of this... my wishes remain the same regardless. I want this monster killed or contained for a damn long time..."


	33. Innocence 31

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 113

"As a force of justice, all I can do is capture him and stop this from continuing... I have no say on what happens after that... I know this..."

"To respect another's law and adapt it to your own skills, that is something that will become an asset in the near future, I assure you L." He walks out to retrieve a food tray and sets it by the bed.  
>"When you feel hungry, the trays are here. I will bring more cases in tomorrow if you'd like."<p>

"We are more interested in solving the major one at hand..." L mumbled.  
>"I have given the police the knowledge they need to deal with the smaller ones themselves."<p>

"That's great. Was there anything you'd like to do when this case is resolved? Perhaps a proper tour of Japan, or some particular places of interest?"  
>"We were thinking of visiting some shrines and temples. Lawli and I have taken a liking to them."<p>

"There is a few I would really like to see... the one in Nara for instance..."

"Oh? There are plenty of temples and shrines there. Any specific one?"

"Any would be suitable, preferably the oldest..." the boy mumbled.  
>"Ryuzaki's eyes have been strained from seeing too many numbers, so I would appreciate anything we do to be in the late night..."<p>

"If there are any that allow such late access, then sure. I'm still unsure of the limits to 'Ryuzaki's ' eyes, but if you say they do strain, then I will take your word for it."

"We do not know ourselves and do intend to do research into this, however, it seems that the fact the names are in Japanese adds some form of extra strain..."

"It gives me headaches faster. I'm not used to them. I almost passed out a few times already."  
>"Curious, so these names adjust to the language used? Fascinating."<p>

"We have learned much from being here about his eyes..." the dark eyed boy mumbled.

"I'll say. I don't know much about your eyes Beyond, but I can assume that they have caused you distress."  
>"You have no idea Watari..."<p>

L knew that his eyes where a sensitive topic for his young friend so instead decided to change it.  
>"Will you help the police lay my trap Watari?" he asked, poking at the food on his plate with a spoon.<br>"They seem to have it under control, however, a little supervision would not go astray..."

"I am already collaborating with the Chief of Police as it is. That is well and covered. I will go back and make sure that things are being taken care of properly." B looked to his friend and gave a smile of gratitude, happy the topic had diverted to something less touchy.

"Thank you Watari," the boy stated, moving a square of jelly meant for dessert to his mouth.

The elderly male gave a smile and turned to leave his boys, though he was now just a little suspicious of what activities they had been engaging in in his absence.  
>"Thanks Lawli... I appreciate it." The red eyed youth looked at the food and opted to eat some rice and vegetables, finding it better than the rice at Wammy's.<p>

"I know it makes you uncomfortable..." the dark eyed raven mumbled back and followed his friends example, taking a small bit of the rice for himself.

"Yes... It does. I don't like to bring it up. Perhaps when I'm more comfortable with my abilities and myself, I'd be more open... Then I can convince myself that Mum will come back for me and actually care..." He chewed angrily, but edging back into calm.

L's eyes saddened for a moment and he turned to his friend.  
>"Beyond your mother... she does not care for you... she was the monster and although I know you don't see it that way nothing you could have done or could do will change that..."<p>

"I already knows she doesn't care," he murmured with a frown.  
>"I am merely saying that I may never ever be comfortable with who and what I am. I will never be comfortable with myself and my abilities. I will never see Mum again... If I did, I don't know what I'd do..."<p>

"When you are older Beyond..." the onyx eyed boy mumbled, "if you would like, I will take you to see your mother... I will be by your side for every moment..."

"I don't think I ever want to see her again. It's better this way. If she ends up finding me, I may just tell her when she dies and be over with it. She didn't care, I'm not going to..." He forked more rice and chewed slowly, seething over the topic brought up.

"Then I will respect that wish..." L only wanted his friend to know that the offer was there should he chose to take it.  
>"Are you going to see the foxes again today?" he asked quietly, "they seem to be rather friendly and have taken some kind of liking to you..."<p>

"They do bring some levity to my person. I would like for you to join me, but you would be unable to see them and would be in another plane of reality altogether. When it gets darker, I will go out. It's still early and I might get a headache if I tried now."

The dark eyed raven nodded and sighed sadly.  
>"I would like so much to meet these creatures which seem so open... They are the opposite of what we expected them to be though perhaps we should have seen it coming? I am unsure..."<p>

"They are good spirits and very powerful. They are keeping peace here. I'm a little fond of them also, but the male spirit still does not approach me. I'm sure it is a trust thing and I am going to have to earn it." He eats some vegetables and goes silent for a little while, lost in his thoughts.

"Perhaps he is simply part of what makes each one different..." L mused, continuing to eat slowly one spoon full at a time.  
>"If they are truly two parts of a whole than his nature may be to be withdrawn and standoffish while she is friendly and curious..."<p>

"That could also be the case." He takes up a spoon and helps himself to the jelly, slurping down a mouthful and letting it melt in his mouth.  
>"Either way, both are fun to talk to. I do have to keep many things hidden as a result. For my own sanity as well, I keep this promise." He sighs and pushes his food away. Despite the fun from earlier, he was not feeling quite right. He felt... depressed. He was certain it was from his eyes and mother being brought up, but it brought down his mood.<p>

There was a long silence before the detective spoke up once more.  
>"Will you draw them for me?"<p>

"I... I don't know if I'm allowed to do that Lawli..." He looked saddened somewhat and went to clean his teeth in the bathroom.

L frowned slightly.  
>"I want to see them..."<p>

"I wish you could see them Lawli. If I get their permission, I will not hesitate to draw them for you." He offered a small smile when he walked back out and sat down next to his friend after placing the still somewhat untouched food onto the tray.

"Thank you." The dark eyed boy smiled back and pushed the remaining food away from himself.  
>"I simply want to see the ones who have been so helpful and seem to have become almost friends..." There was another silence that spanned only a few moments.<br>"Will you miss them?"

"If I come back here when I'm older, I don't have to miss them. If that chance never comes around, then yes, I think I will." He lay on his back and closed his eyes, wanting to shake the small depression.  
>"They are truly something to see, they really are..."<p>

Most of that day was spent this way, letting time tick away as they stared up at the ceiling deep in thought.


	34. Convenience

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 114

B looked to his right at the window and saw the sky beginning to darken at last. He climbed off the bed and chanced a look outside, noting some activity still, but it was gradually getting more sparse.  
>"In another half hour, we can go down there." He went back to the tray and removed his food from it, feeling slightly hungry. He ate a little of it before setting it back and sitting down once more.<p>

L nodded slowly and just kept his eyes on the ceiling as though it had the answers to all of life's little problems.  
>"If you like..."<p>

"If I like... what?" He tilted his head curiously at his friend, bringing an index finger to his mouth to nibble at.

"We can go out..." the elder explained, seeming slightly exhausted by a long day of being trapped in his own thoughts.

"Sure. Where do you want to go?" He looked back outside and saw it was still a little out of his comfort zone, but he was willing to forgive it.

"We can wait a little longer, but I would like to go down to the little 24-hour convenience store on the corner and see what sweets they have..."

"We can go, I'm sure it will be fine." He gave a small smile and hopped off the bed to get his jacket and put it on.

L did the same, climbing down and getting dressed quickly.  
>"If your sure..."<p>

"I'm positive. I have you to hold on to in case it gets bad. I hope it doesn't."

"It should be fine... there aren't to many people out..." With that L shoved a handful of coins into his pocket and led his friend out the door. He had been meaning to try some Japanese sweets since he arrived.

The younger raven followed his friend outdoors and along the street, making sure to avoid looking at too many people. Only when he saw a crowd, he would close his eyes and grip the material his friend wore.

L led his friend down the street and into the little shop where only one person sat behind the counter which would not strain the wilder boys blood red eyes any more then being in the room with him and Watari.  
>"You can open them..." The panda whispered, looking around.<p>

Red eyes opened and blinked a few times, taking in his surroundings. An assortment of things: sweets, treats and other edible and decorative goods filled the slightly small space.  
>"This is a nice establishment you have here," he remarked in Japanese.<p>

The women behind the counter smiled and bowed politely.  
>"Thank you." She smiled and gestured towards the shelves next to the counter.<br>"I have many different varieties of candy here if that is what you have come for."  
>"Yes thank you, but if you don't mind we would like to see everything first."<br>"Not at all."

B took his time exploring, poking and examining every new thing he looked at. It was safe to say one of every item had been examined by the very curious raven. The saw some candies in very cute and interesting shapes, looked at pocky sticks and picked out a box with strawberry flavored ones for his friend and him to share. There was not one thing that didn't keep his attention on it for too long.

L two had picked an assortment of candy, two of each single one that took his fancy and one of each box. He also had small strawberry sponge cake in a packet with an unknown manga chibi on it and two colorful bottles of drink. Everything was piled up high in his arms, but he knew the exact price of everything he chose as to not be even a single yen short.

B saw the somewhat shocked expression of the clerk, but only gave her a smile.  
>"It's for his stash," he lied, "he likes to keep several on hand just in case." He let his gaze drift her numbers out of habit and noted many more years. It made him smile wider.<p>

"Oh? I know how that is." She smiled.  
>"It's always nice to have a few sweets on hand isn't it?"<br>"Yes, I agree." The elder smiled and handed the women the exact right change, accounting even for what his friend had chosen despite appearing not to have been paying much attention.  
>"Many thanks," he said with a smile, helping his friend with his purchases and holding a half the bags for him.<br>"You boys take care now, there is a killer on the lose targeting children..."  
>"Do not worry ma'am, we do not fit the profi-" Beyond quickly cut off his friend before he could reveal more then was acceptable.<p>

"It's too dangerous to say anything," he whispered in English into the older raven's ear.  
>"Our suspect could have overheard us..." He says no more and urges his friend to continue walking.<p>

"Come again boys."  
>L nodded and they both left back for there hotel room quickly, before the dark eyed raven could tell any other civilians classified information in a public place.<p>

Once safely back inside, B set his friend's treats onto the bed and looked at him with a stern expression.  
>"Even if it would be helpful, word gets around quickly. If we want to catch this murderer, we cannot leak out the information. If he gets word of it, he'll run and then it will be back to square one."<p>

"I was not going to leak information..." the boy mumbled and bit his thumb, "I was simply going to tell her that we do not fit the profile of any of his previous victims and thus we are safe."

"Oh... Well regardless. It is better we play it safe than sorry Lawli." He gave a smile and then dug into the bag for his treat, opening the box and removing 2 pocky sticks and offering them to the older raven as an apology.

L took the stick and begun to suck the sweet strawberry from it happily.

B popped a stick in his mouth and sucked on the treat, finding it very tasty and addicting almost immediately.

Once the yogurt coating was gone, he nibbled away at the stick happily before opening a packet of tiny little pandas with chocolate filling.

The red eyed raven was still happily sucking on his pocky stick, watching his friend with a smile. He removed another and started to nibble away at the one in his mouth before sticking in the next one.  
>"These are amazing!" he murmured happily around the sticks in his mouth.<p>

L nodded and handed a small panda to his friend.  
>"So are these..." the dark eyed raven couldn't believe how nice his treats were.<p>

The younger raven accepted the treat and waited until it was gone before taking a bite into a chocolate filled panda. He looked at the filling for a moment before carefully licking it out until the treat was hollow.

L was balancing one of the pandas on the tip of his tongue when it fell into his friends lap. Without even thinking, L bent down to try get to it, his head completely between the other boys legs when their adopted father once again returned.


	35. Innocence 32

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 115

B's eyes went wide as saucers, more so at suddenly having his friend's face in between his legs than their father who suddenly went rather pale.

The dark eyed raven lapped up the tiny creature and munched away at it, looking up to see both of the room's other occupants looking at him with rather unusual expressions. This was the second time in one day that Watari had found his boys in a compromising position and with their body's side on it was hard to see what exactly occurred.

The elderly male was at a complete loss for words. Surely there was an explanation for this. B involuntarily blushed, but his shock didn't go away.  
>"Lawli... why did you do that?"<p>

"The panda escaped," was the innocent reply, followed quickly by a return to his treats.

That answer should have brought relief, but Watari was still shocked and at a loss for words. So effective was the sight before him that he completely forgot why he came in here in the first place.  
>"You have your hands Lawli. You don't have to use your mouth all the time." That didn't make it any better.<p>

"But then I wouldn't get to taste it," the elder explained, biting one of the little animals in half absent mindedly.

"You'll still taste it, just lick it from your hand, you don't have to be in a hurry all the time. Patience is rewarded." He took in a pocky stick and as an afterthought looked at their father who looked rather odd.  
>"Watari, you look pale. Did something bad happen?"<br>"N-no... I forgot something. I will return with it." With that, he retreated to get his bearings straight.

L leaned over and took a bite from the stick before B could get it to his mouth. It was a small tease and L already knew how the blood eyed boy would react.

The younger raven grinned and leaned in to lick the crumbs from the older raven's lips.  
>"No fair Lawli," he murmured playfully.<p>

"Life isn't fair Beyond," he stated back, moving to try and attack what remained of the stick only to have it pulled away playfully.

"You can't have any more," he teased, sucking the stick into his mouth and chewing. He pulled out another an stuck it into his mouth.  
>"I dare you to try get another from me."<p>

L leaned over, pushing his friend back and taking the stick straight from his mouth with his tongue, ending the action in a rough and playful kiss.

"Too fa... Nnh..." Unknown to either raven, the action L took to get the treat had caused his thigh to grind against him.  
>"Too fast.." he repeated, somewhat shocked, but anticipating a little that his friend's boldness would somehow end that way.<p>

The dark eyed raven moved back into his crouch with a victorious grin, bugging his assault on the panda shaped snacks anew.

"You think you can get away with it that easily? We'll see about that!" He reached out an snatched the panda treats and hopped off the bed, taking a couple and popping them into his mouth, flashing them briefly before chewing on them.

"No!" the elder whimpered and reached out hopelessly for his lost treats before actually getting to his feet and chasing after his friend.

B crouched low and used the height to allow him to be evasive, taking another treat when he could and holding it out of reach.  
>"I know your moves Lawli, try get your pandas back." He mock cackled and dodged.<p>

L ran at him again, his moves almost being mirrored by the younger. It was like being fought by himself and was nothing short of frustrating.  
>"Pandas!" He called out to them as if he was expecting them to respond.<br>"Come back!"

"Come on Lawli, you can do better than that." He taunted him with another panda treat and put it into his mouth and held it between teeth with a grin.

L finally managed to tackle his friend, once again removing the treat from his friends mouth with his own.

B fell backwards and onto the floor, his head landing in the direction of the door that opened, revealing their father who's expression once again went in shock.

"My panda." L stated bluntly, chewing the treat in his mouth victoriously.

"Do I really want to know what's going on here?" Their exasperated father finally managed to ask.

"He took my pandas Watari!" the elder boy almost whines, pointing to the remaining treats in his friends hand.

"He started it! I am finishing it." He kept the treats out of reach.  
>"This is not behavior I was expecting from two busy boys. I thought you both knew better."<br>"We're not adults Watari, you can't expect that just because we're intelligent, we're also not capable of rough play."

"It would be most foolish to assume that we can work and work and work and not have the need to play," the dark eyed raven mumbled, pinning his friends arm to the ground so that he could crawl along it and devour the treats, licking his friends fingers at the same time.

The younger raven wiggled to get free futilely.  
>"What brings you here the 3rd time in a row, Watari?" He had his eyes locked onto the older raven and tried keeping the treats out of reach and failing.<br>"Only to let you both know that preparations for the sting are good for tomorrow evening when the doll arrives."

L continued to lick at his friends fingers, tickling them with his tongue and trying to get every last crumb.  
>"Ood!" he mumbled, Words muffled by his friends fingers "I uspect it wool go wewll"<p>

B felt tingles and tried harder to free himself, being more unsuccessful than the last time. Another light blush appeared involuntarily and he pulled his arm back as hard as he could.  
>"Yes, I suspect it will be successful."<p>

L finished what he set out to do and climbed off his friend to head back to the pile of treats victoriously, completely ignoring his adopted father's stare.

"This is not over yet Watson. I will have my revenge on you sooner or later, you can count on that." He rolled over so he could stand and returned to his pocky sticks and popped one into his mouth.  
>"If that's all Watari... Lawli and I know what to expect for tomorrow." He wiped his hand onto his friend's shirt and gave it a quick shake to dry.<p>

"Yes. In fact, we are just about to get some rest," the elder stated and looked out the window. "Within a week he should be in custody as long as the police here do not make any foolish mistakes."

"Indeed. One slip-up and it's back to basics." Watari only let out a long and slow breath before turning and leaving the pair alone. B looked at his friend and then stuck another stick in and sucked on it happily.  
>"I'm pretty sure Watari was the very same as us too. He was not always so serious."<p>

"No one was born as serious as Watari is now..." the elder mumbled and opened his little sponge cake.  
>"It is something he has learned with age..."<p>

"More reason for him to be a little lenient. We're nowhere near him, but we do have common sense. I know this already. When we get to his age, then we can better appreciate the little chastisements." It was wishful thinking at least according to B. He could not shake the feeling that both of them may never reach their intended ages. He distracted himself with chewing on his stick slowly.

"Perhaps..." In L's mind it was hard to believe that his mental age would ever change much. He knew for a fact that he was stunted in many ways and his maturity was one of them, though he was mature enough to admit it.


	36. Loss 3

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 116

B set the remaining sticks onto the other bed and returned to lay down. He became silent, mulling over his thoughts, slowly working on the last stick in his mouth.

L slowly and carefully put all of his treats into the top draw of the table next to the bed before moving to lay down next to his friend.  
>"I am going to have a rest..." the elder mumbled.<br>"It will be a big day tomorrow..."

The younger nodded, keeping his focus on the roof. What should happen if Lawli died and he lived? They made a promise, but what if that promise changed and he was asked to keep going? How long would he last? What if he died before Lawli? Would he keep his end of the promise? What if they died in each other's arms... well that would be nice, in fact. Why did those rats explode, what additives were used to create a dramatic effect? Could it in fact work on humans? Could it work on H if he got the chance? That would be nice. H is the enemy, H needs to die. H has to die. H can die with the rats!

"Ryuzaki?" The elder asked, seeing his friend fall into some deep thought pattern that he couldn't follow.

*H must bleed! I want to gut him! I want to see him dead! I want to see him suffer to his last breath! I want to see Roger in agony! H and Roger and Y and V and S! They will be mounted on my wall! I will have victory over them! No one, but me!*

"Ryuzaki?" L repeated, a little louder this time.

*I will make them watch... They will look into mirrors as they are gutted. I will put them on display one organ at a time. Spleen, Kidneys, Liver!*  
>Unknown to the younger raven, these thoughts caused an unusual reaction in his body. His hands gripped the blankets and he arched his back.<p>

L rolled over on top of his friend to lock his onyx eyes with the deep red ones.

"Beyond Birthday!" he called again.

*They'll be puppets, under my complete control. Lawli will love me more. Lawli will be proud of me. We will dine on their flesh. It will make us strong!*  
>B arched again and panted. His eyes were no longer focused on anything.<p>

"Beyond!" Now it was almost a yell and he shook his friends shoulders roughly until his eyes snapped into focus on him.

"Lawli...? What was that for?" The dark thoughts were no longer there and there was now an uncomfortable feeling he didn't want.  
>"That was uncalled for..."<p>

"You were... doing something unusual..." The elder sat up and bit his thumb, thinking hard and yet not getting off of his friend.  
>"You seemed to be in another world..."<p>

"I was resting... and you woke me up..." He squirmed uncomfortably.  
>"That's what happened... You didn't need to overreact."<p>

"You were not resting, your eyes where open and you where arching your back..." the elder stated.

"I wasn't... was I? It does explain the uncomfortable feeling... but I swear I was resting. I didn't see anything until you woke me up. That's what happened Lawli." He was not sure who was telling who the truth by now and he looked somewhat confused.

"Well then it was the strangest looking rest I have ever seen..." L mumbled back around his thumb.

The look of confusion didn't leave.  
>"Well then... I don't know what happened..." He brought a finger to his mouth an nibbled on it in thought.<p>

"I was thinking about what would happen if things changed and then I fell asleep. That's all I can remember... Honest."

"Alright..." The panda rolled off of his friend and back to laying on his side, wrapping an arm around him protectively.

B closed his eyes and ignored the uncomfortable feeling and tried to rest, but he was now plagued with doubt about what had happened.

For once L fell asleep quite quickly even if it wouldn't last very long. He was excited about his sting, it would be the first time he had arranged something so intricate and he needed to see the outcome!

The younger raven on the other hand did not get much, if any sleep, mostly resting his eyes and letting the worry and doubt consume him. On the other hand, he was happy for his friend and hoped that their suspect would be dealt with soon.

L was awaken by their adopted father not long after falling asleep in the first place.  
>"I'm sorry to wake you, but I have bad news..."<p>

Red eyes opened, looking very tired and stressed.  
>"What is it Watari? Did something not go as planned? Was information leaked?"<p>

"No..." the elderly man stated and handed the dark eyed raven a file.  
>"There was southerner killing last night that has just been discovered... According to your profile this makes our trap ineffective as his next target will be female, and it also means another loss of life..."<p>

"We'll just have to set one up for tomorrow morning then. It's unfortunate we must love another before we can attempt to trap him, but it would be worth it, wouldn't it?" He looked at the folder in his friend's hand.  
>"Is there a photograph?"<p>

L flipped open the file to the crime scene photographs and a initial report being the only things they had at the time. He frowned at the small boy who was laying helplessly on his back with his throat cut and his stomach ripped open and spread far out, as usual his heart had been removed.  
>"Here," he states and hands his files to his friend to look at.<p>

A name flashed right away, but he didn't need it to confirm that this was Xi, the little boy he'd befriended. He frowned and sniffled lightly.  
>"I bet he was coming here... I bet his family hurt him... He would have been safe..." He brought a finger to the photo and ran it across his eyes.<br>"I'm sorry Xi... I let you down," he whispered.

L looked up at his friend, seeing the saddened expression and immediately understood, pulling his friend into a comforting hug.  
>"I would like to do the autopsy Watari..." the elder almost whispered, wanting to give his friend a chance to say goodbye to the one person he had ever met to truly understand what he was going through.<p>

"We were the same... we could see things that are unseen to everyone else... He didn't deserve this..." He let go of the photograph and felt his emotions beginning to shake his frame. His hands clenched into fists and he glared.  
>"He will suffer... I will kill him... I will butcher him... I will make him eat his own entrails..." This was spoken lowly enough out of Watari's ears, but not to the detective.<p>

"We will get him Beyond... don't you worry..." L whispered softly and looked up at Watari.  
>"Watari I need you to reset the traps with young female actors, any you can find that is trained in self defense and can pass for 17 years old."<p>

"I will work on that immediately L. Anything else before I take my leave?" B was still glaring at the ground, angered that the only other person with eyes similar to him was taken from him for good. Tears freed themselves and he sniffled again.

"Please tell us when the boy is ready for autopsy... that is all..." The elder whispered and went back to simply holding his friend close, looking down to see the boys blue eyes now dull and staring up at the sky.

"He was so hurt Lawli... His family treated him like Mum and everyone else treated me... They called him a demon child... they called him a freak..." His grip tightened on the shirt.  
>"They made fun of his eyes, Lawli! They hurt him so much! He didn't deserve what he got! He didn't deserve this end!"<p>

"No... No one deserves this fate," L said and pulled him closer.  
>"You can come in with me to the autopsy and say goodbye if you like..."<p> 


	37. Innocence 33

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 117

The younger nods and leans into the embrace for some time before parting and laying on his stomach. It was an emotional rollercoaster and it put B into a weird mood. He closed his eyes and buried his face into his arms.

L laid down next to his friend though made no move to touch the boy in any way.

"Lawli... I don't want to feel for anything else... I don't want to cry for people anymore... I don't want to feel... I don't want to care for anyone else that isn't you... I don't..."

"You shouldn't say things like that..." the elder whispered.  
>"You were so happy to know you weren't alone... Wasn't that worth the pain?"<p>

"I don't want to care because that's been taken from me... The only other one, perhaps the rare of his kind was taken away so soon... He was the only connection I truly had to understanding myself... I don't want to hurt. I have no more reason to care about anything or anyone else anymore... You're the only one that matters... If you go... I'm going with you..."

L finally put an arm around his friend again.  
>"Perhaps those foxes can take him a message for you?"<p>

"Perhaps... I know how to reach them from here now. I'm not much in a mood to leave this spot..." He let out a slow breath and cleared his mind, sinking into that darkness and standing up, walking in a path he memorized.

He was slightly surprised when he saw what he did at the end of his path, walking up the stairs to this shrine in the darkness. The little foxes where running in circles, chasing after two Shiba Inu puppies who wagged their tails in excitement and darted away. The little red tackled the larger dog playfully and wrestled it to the ground.

His head tilted to the side curiously and crouched into a squatting position, bringing a finger to his mouth in thought.  
>"Is that... Chu?" he wondered out loud.<p>

The bigger dog's eyes snapped to the boy and he squirmed out from under the little kitsune to bounce over to red eyed raven and jump up, licking at his face.  
>'Xi's friend,' he barked, somehow having Beyond understand him despite still sounding like a dog.<p>

B petted the large dog and offered a smile.  
>"Where's Xi?" His attention then drifted to the other puppy and something told him that he'd answered his own question.<br>"Xi? Is that you?"

"Ryuzaki!" the smaller barked, running up and bouncing around happily.  
>"The foxes, they are so friendly! Just like you said!"<p>

The young raven gave a smile.  
>"They are very protective, Xi. They will keep you safe until you're ready to go to your new home." His eyes saddened for a moment.<br>"I'm sorry about what happened Xi. I will avenge you and make things better, I promise you this."

"Its okay Ryuzaki, I'm happy here!" the boy barked happily.  
>"The foxes say they are going to teach Chu and I to be guardians just like them!" The little blue fox bristled and moved towards Beyond.<p>

"You bring darkness with you..." he said sternly and looked into his 'shadow' to see it bubbling with dark intent and a corrupt creature trying to escape.  
>"Calm yourself while you are here, vengeance does not belong in this place."<p>

"I-I'm sorry... I just wanted to say goodbye is all... I wish you all the best, Xi and Chu. You were a good friend in life. Perhaps one day, we may see each other again." He offered another small smile, but could not shake the feeling of anger at the youth's death. He began to back out before anything more happened.

"I'll see you again Ryuzaki! One day when your a spirit too!" He assured the other, chasing after him as far as the limits of the protected shrine, "We'll miss you!"

"Take care my friend. Until, then I'll miss you too." B smiled one last time and turned around, returning his path to his sleeping form and waking himself up.

L stroked his friend's back slowly, trying to comfort him.

B didn't know it, but he'd started crying in his meditative state. His shoulders were shaking and when is eyes opened, tears fell and he sniffled.  
>"H-he's s-safe... h-he'll be f-fine..." He sniffled and buried his face and let himself finish crying.<p>

"Then why are you crying?" L asked quietly, pulling him in closer so he could hold his friends head to his chest.

"I-I d-don't know... I t-think I w-was h-happy to s-see him safe..." He buried his face in the older's chest and let his tears flow.  
>"H-he likes it th-there... H-he's h-happy..." He sniffled and nuzzled his friend's chest.<p>

The elder held his red eyed friend tightly and begun to hum softly to calm him.

The sobs and tears eventually stopped after some time, and B was nestled on the older, breathing slowly and nuzzling now and then. It would be then that Watari returned inside.  
>"The autopsy is scheduled for this evening. Also, we have located a few potentials and decided it was best to employ them as night bait."<p>

"That's good Watari..." L mumbled and ran his fingers through his boys hair.

The elderly male disappeared for a moment and wheeled in a tray with food.  
>"Something to balance out the sugar. As long as I'm here, you will try to get something healthy into your systems." B shifted slightly and settled down again.<p>

"I'm not sure Beyond is in the mood for anything..." the boy mumbled and looked down at the friend still in his arms.  
>"Or do you?"<p>

"I've changed my mind... I don't want to go to the autopsy," he murmured softly, taking a slow breath and letting it out.

"Oh?" the elder asked, stroking his friend softly.  
>"Are you sure? I intend to examine his eyes closely..."<p>

"Perhaps the energy that his eyes had went away when he died. I wonder if the same will happen with my eyes..." It was a curious thought.  
>"If you insist, I suppose I could..."<p>

"Perhaps... Though I feel his eye structure itself may be different... Never the less I will be respectful to your friend's body I promise, I simply feel there are answers to be found..."

"Answers to who and what he is, and perhaps even to me, but he saw things differently than I did. Different eye structures for different, but similar gifts."

"Maybe we will find nothing... But I think it is worth checking..." the dark eyed raven mumbled, "Though if you wish it, I will do this alone and tell you what I find."

"I suppose it's worth it to go. but I don't want to see him in death. I want to remember him for that brief time in life we had a connection. I'm going to miss that boy..." He internalized for a moment then decided at last.  
>"No... I'll stay behind. I want to go out and explore this street."<p>

"Alright I understand, but please go with Watari. Though you do not fit the killer's profile you may attract a poorly informed copycat..."


	38. Xi 3

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 118

B nods and looks at last to the food tray and wriggled from his friend's grip and sat up at last.  
>"Hopefully some good will come out of the results."<p>

"Unfortunately the parents of the victim are not willing to pay for either burial or a funeral...  
>"His body is destined for an unmarked grave then?" L bit his thumb for a moment.<br>"Is there something we can do about that?"

"Can we pay for a marked grave then? I don't think he'd like to be lost if he didn't have a place to visit."

"Perhaps we could have his ashes placed in an urn and taken to the shrine... or brought to England and given a place in the church my parents where buried at..." L bit his thumb.  
>"Anything would be better then an unmarked grave... I would be willing to put up the money..."<p>

"I like the shrine idea a lot, actually... I think having a dog-shaped urn would be nice."  
>"Why a dog-shaped urn?" asked Watari.<br>"He had a dog that he loved. I don't know any other thing he could be held in."

"I have an idea actually." L climbed off of his bed and opened a draw, sifting through to find there joint sketch book. He opened the thick card covers and flipped through until he found a picture he had drawn a while ago of a vase with little wolves running around and around it.  
>"What about something like this but with dogs?"<p>

"Make them Shiba Inu's and it will be perfect. That's what Chu was, according to Xi. We can paint it in a nice vivid blue as well." A smile crept onto his features at the possibilities.  
>"I will bring it there myself personally. He's like the little brother I didn't have."<p>

"But you have us and we will take care of his remains..." L smiled and handed his friend the sketch book.  
>"Draw what you want and I'll have it made for him..."<p>

The younger raven smiled and took up the sketch book and sought out a pencil and eraser before returning, leaning against a wall and hiding the image in process. A few minutes of toying with ideas, he finally settled on a design and proceeded to make quick strokes of his chosen image.

L sat on the bed and watched his friend work in silence, looking up at Watari for a moment.  
>"Is this alright with you? I know it could be seen as a waste, but it is my money and this is how I wish to spend it... Giving this innocent child a place to rest..."<p>

"It is most upsetting that his family is unwilling to bury their own relative, but I see that Beyond has developed a bond to this child. I personally would prefer the family to take care of these arrangements. It you feel it to do this... then I will not stop you."

"It would be nice if they cared enough about their own child to cover this cost, but they do not seem to think that it is worth it... I however do think it is worth it... And a small urn placed in this sacred place will keep his soul at ease I am sure..."

B looked up from his sketching for a moment.  
>"He'd love it, I'm sure. Xi was special, more than his gift, he was really a nice boy. I know if it were not for his background, he'd be far better off." He smiled and returned to his sketching.<p>

"I hope that in death he can find peace with himself..." L mumbled and slinked over to his friend, now curious to see the picture but at the same time waiting for it to be shown to him.

"It will take some time before it's good enough to display. I really want this one to be special. I hope that whenever Xi looks at it, he'll know that we cared about him." He continued his task once again, pulling his knees closer to prevent it from being seen.

L sat down next to his friend and waited patiently, not making any attempt to look at the other boys drawing or to disturb him in any way.

It would be about 35 minutes of sketching before B was happy enough with the final product, turning it to his friend with a satisfied smile. The layout was circular. Towards where the bottom of the urn would be, a pattern of Shiba Inus, large and small, chased each other in an endless circle. Towards the top were the pair of spirit foxes intertwined and winding around the top.  
>"I think he'll like this," he murmured with a smile.<p>

"I know I would," the detective stated with a smile, taking the book and handing the page to the elderly male who was sitting on the bed waiting.  
>"Can you find a place to make this? It should be fine, but not so much that it would risk being stolen, then I would like you to ask the custodian of the temple if it is alright to place it among the other treasures there, if not then we can find another suitable place..."<p>

Watari smiles and nods, taking the picture and goes to the door.  
>"Is there anything else at this time? If you would like me to accompany you on your walk later, Beyond, I will."<p>

"That's all from me at the moment." L mumbled and smiled, putting his arm around the younger boys shoulders.

"At the insistence of my friend here, you may accompany me, but I promise, it's just down this street and probably the shrine. Is it possible that you can bring me some jam? I've had a craving for it for some time now." He leaned into the older slightly and let out a slow breath.

L nodded slowly and held his friend close. He didn't want his friend to be alone now with a killer on the loose.

"I will see what I can do. We can go anytime before or after L assists in the autopsy."

"That's fine, Watari. Thank you." The elderly male nods before taking his leave, glad to have answered some of his own internal questions.  
>"You're alright with everything?" the dark eyed raven asks quietly, wanting to make sure his friend would be okay after losing a friend.<p>

"Nothing jam and a walk can't fix. I didn't expect to find another that was similar to what I was. It was too short, but it felt like... the connection we have. I honestly thought that you would like him too Lawli..."

"I am sure I would have..." the elder whispered and rubbed his friends arm, "but I suppose he is out of his pain now..."

"Yes. He's happy with Chu. The foxes are going to turn him into a guardian like them. I think Xi would love it. Xi's a puppy now, hard to believe, but it's true." He leaned more back and smiled.  
>"I've never seen him so happy. It was like he was never in any pain at all... I think that's why I cried."<p>

"Because your happy for him?" L asked quietly resting his head on his friends shoulder and relaxing a little at a time.

"Yes... I'm happy for him, more than I thought I would be. He deserves a good life free of pain. Being a guardian will provide that for him."

L moved a finger to his lip for a moment, keeping the other wrapped around his friend.  
>"Where will he guard? Will his dog get to stay with them?" There where, as usual, hidden questions here that Beyond picked up on right away. 'Where will you guard and will I get to stay with you?'<p>

"It's hard to say Lawli. Every one of us dreamers has a role in the afterlife. Xi's place will be revealed to him. As for Chu... perhaps not, but, their bond is strong. Something good will come of it, I'm certain."

"I hope they can stay together..." the elder whispered, sounding almost sad.

"Same here Lawli..." He leans his head back to nuzzle a cheek before focusing his gaze elsewhere in the room.


	39. Xi 4

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 119

This thought depressed the onyx eyed boy and he slowly got to his feet, walking to the other end of the room and taking a deep breath.  
>"I'll get ready for that autopsy..."<p>

"Lawli..." B got up and hugged his friend from behind.  
>"We'll never be apart, ok? We'll never have to be separated. Don't compare him and I because we're not the same, even if we're similar." He nuzzled a neck and made a slight whimpering sound.<p>

The dark eyed raven closed his eyes and leaned back into the younger males embrace slightly.  
>"Do you promise?"<p>

"I promise. We're in this together Lawli. I love you so much. You've always been my reason to keep going. If you weren't in my life, I'd be drowned."

"And I would have lost what little soul I have left..." L almost purred back turning around to cuddle into his friend properly.

B held onto his friend and rubbed his back in a circular pattern.  
>"If you didn't save me that day Lawli, I wouldn't be here now talking with you. You'd become like... a robot. You're human Lawli. I want to remember you as a human."<p>

"I promise I won't become a robot anytime soon as long as your here to remind me that I need to live..." L whispered back, nuzzling into his shoulder.

"I love you Lawli..." he murmured, nuzzling a neck.  
>"We saved each other from a terrible fate."<p>

"Then I hope we will always be together..." the elder whispered back with a small smile.  
>"I love you to..."<p>

"We will. Nothing will keep us apart." He placed soft kisses to his neck and momentarily lost himself in the moment before parting again.

L gave a small kiss on the cheek in appreciation before heading towards the door in a slightly better mood this time.  
>"I will report anything I find to you... maybe you can ask the foxes if you may draw them for me in the mean time?"<p>

"I will, I promise. I never had the chance before, because I brought in foreign energies that are not allowed there. I'll explain later, but please, whatever you find, let me know."

"Alright..." the elder gave another small smile and left to find Watari and be taken to carry out the autopsy.

B waited some time until he was certain that his friend and father were no longer in the building before tossing on a jacket and sneaking outside. He knew it was breaking a promise, but he really did want time to himself and Watari would be a barrier in that. It didn't hurt to be a little rebellious after all. With a sigh, he began his journey, blending in with a small crowd and proceeding down the street.

Beyond's escape went unnoticed much to his delight and before he knew it he was at the gates of the shrine where he felt so at ease.

He walked inside and looked around, feeling peace here. He felt 2 additional energies here and knew who they belonged to. He smiled and decided a small visit would help before he'd take to the other end of the street to see how far he'd go. He calmed himself down and cleared his mind, finding a spot to sit and closed his eyes.

As soon as the darkness fell Xi ran up to his friend, tail wagging.  
>"You left the darkness behind this time?" he asked, looking back at the blue eyed fox who gave a small nod.<br>"Good!"

The young raven stayed sitting and petted his new friend's puppy head and smiled.  
>"It's good to see you again, Xi. You look even better than the last time I saw you, and that was not long ago."<p>

"Yeah... I really like it here!" he chirps and leans into his friend's touch.  
>"Chu can't get lost in the darkness here either so we're both safe!"<p>

"When you're a full guardian, the darkness will fear you and you don't have to worry about getting lost," he replied with a smile. He then looked at the foxes.  
>"Does this training vary from spirit to spirit?"<p>

"Indeed it does..." the blue stated and looked over to Chu.  
>"For this pair there is much work to be done, first this one must become a spirit as now he is merely a soul and will be devoured by the darkness if he becomes lost... Xi on the other hand died as a child so he must learn to focus and discipline himself... though there is always room for a little fun." The blue quickly crouched down, slinking around behind his sister.<br>"And to fight!" she chirped, "though that comes late- Eeep!" The small white fox sprung into the air in fright as her brother pounced on her tail, quickly darting behind Beyond for protection.

B couldn't help but laugh at the little predicament.  
>"Sorry, but in all seriousness, I think that Xi and Chu will benefit greatly from this. I saw a long life for him before he was taken away. Hopefully that long life will be well-lived here as a guardian." He smiled and put his friend into his lap and petted him more.<br>"I feel that I want to protect you, like how I did Griffin before she passed away. You'll be my little brother from now on."

The little puppy looked up at his new found friend.  
>"Really?" he asked, head tilted to the side slightly. It was so hard to picture this energetic creature as ever being human now he took to being a canine so well.<p>

"Yes." He nodded his head and smiled, pulling the younger into a hug  
>"By the way... my friend was wondering what you looked like... would it be ok for me to draw you for him?"<p>

The little foxes halted their game for a moment and the little red eyed one even giggled.

"Why not? People here have been drawing and carving us for a very long time!" She chirped and bounded over to one of the larger fox statues and sat beside it, puffing out her chest to make her tiny body look bigger despite the fact the statue still towered over her.  
>"Can't you see the resemblance?"<br>The male sighed and turned back to Beyond.  
>"It would be our honor..."<p>

"Thank you. I want to show him how I see you as you are." He looked at the puppy in his arms and smiled.  
>"We have a surprise in store that I think you will like Xi, but I'm going to let it stay a surprise."<p>

"Really?" the little animals eyes lit up at the prospect of some kind of surprise just for him.  
>"I can't wait!"<p>

"It's very special and I hope you'll like it." He set Xi on the ground and gave a smile.  
>"I will return again. I have something I want to do for now. I will return as soon as I can. You're a great pair of Guardians and I know my little brother and his friend are in good hands."<p>

The little foxes both seem pleased with themselves though their body language shows it in two very different ways.  
>"We are sorry we cannot teach you when its your time..." the male states, "but we would not know how to eat a nightmare and you would be a very hungry-"<br>"Shhh! Don't tell him that! He shouldn't know what form he will take or it won't be any fun!" the younger sister scolds.

B pouted.  
>"Now I want to know. You've implied too much already. It will torture me!" He pouted more, pulling off a sad puppy gaze almost perfectly.<p>

The little female giggled and shook her head.  
>"No, it would take all the fun out of it for you!"<p>

The young raven huffed in defeat.  
>"Alright, but hopefully it's not anytime soon. I want to spend everyday with my friend as long as I can." He smiled fondly before looking to his new friends.<p>

"I will return, I promise. Until then, take care." He began to wake himself from his meditative state.


	40. Lost 1

Part 120

L was so focused on his autopsy that he did not notice the hours go by as each organ was examined and replaced in there original positions carefully. As he promised, he was as gentle and respectful as he could be when doing the procedure and made sure everything was back in place and cleaned. Even the eyes which he removed one completely to examine, seeing only one oddity. As Beyond had predicted the eye no longer admitted the slight glow it did in life however the boy seemed to have a very unusual lenses structure which could not be explained by any medical condition. Instead of being clear, it had a sort of slight blue tinge and it was much thicker then it should have been as though it was attempting to filter something out? An examination of the nerves connected to the eyes was equally as interesting, being slightly larger then they should be which would normally not indicate much of anything but in this case he was sure it was a part of his ability.

With his examination complete he wrote a report for the police and another for his friend, leaving the boy's body looking better then when he arrived on the autopsy table.

He left to go back to their hotel room satisfied with what he had done and also curious about how Beyond's walk with their adopted father had gone.

In the same span, B had woken himself up and proceeded to wander the dark streets, memorizing where he needed to be so he would not get lost. He was caught up in memories and the experiences that he soon went too far and didn't put up any landmarks on his way. When he came to, he found he was now lost and in a part of the city he was not familiar with. He looked back, but the buildings were too tall to show the landmarks he placed. Fear set in and he was able to shake it at first, but each wave was stronger than the last until he was soon sitting in an alleyway, curled in on himself and shivering.

Back at the motel, Watari was pacing in their room, looking extremely worried

"L, I've asked for the assistance of the police. Beyond wasn't here when I got back. I assumed he went to the shrine, but when I got there, he was nowhere to be seen."

L hid his inner turmoil, looking outside at the city streets.

"I'll find him..." he mumbled.

"I should be back soon..." with that he slipped out of the room and rushed to the shrine, once inside he begun to look everywhere.

"I know your here kitsune and I need to find Beyond... he is missing and there is a killer out there! Please, please help me find him..." he pleaded, hoping that they would be able to give someone like him some kind of answer.

"Lawli..." he sniffled, holding onto himself more and backing into a corner when he saw people walking by.

"I'm sorry I broke my promise... I won't do it again..." He shivered more and felt tears escape.

The dark eyed raven gave up looking for the foxes after a few moments and ran out of the temple, following instead his eyes and instincts. He looked around carefully and found things Beyond would have found interesting and moved towards those before looking for the next thing. He knew his friend so well and his intuition was so spot on that he was heading in the right direction, calling out his friends alias every now and then.

"Ryuzaki!" and this time the sound reached his friends ears.

"Ryuzaki!"

B was shaking in fear and didn't stop hugging himself, but eventually something caught his ears and he looked up. It was faint, but he could swear it was his name. He went to the edge of the alley and looked out, hearing another one that was closer. His heart beat faster and his breathing picked up.

"Lawli!" He took off running to the source of the voice.

"Lawli!"

L looked around and saw the source of the noise, rushing to meet his friend as the rain started to fall.

"I'm here!"

The younger raven almost tackled his friend, but stopped, holding him close and shivering violently.

"I-I'm sorry L-Lawli! I-I'm sorry!" he sobbed out, holding his friend like his life depended on it.

L held his friend back equally as tightly, shaking from the fear of possibly losing someone he loved so much.

"I-I didn't mean t-to! I-I promise!" He was still shivering uncontrollably.

"I-I got l-lost... I w-was sc-scared Lawli!" He didn't let go, sniffling and freeing more tears.

"I k-know..." L was crying softly now himself and refused to loosen his grip on his friend.

"I forgive y-you j-just don't e-ever run o-off like that a-again!"

"I'm n-not going t-to... I-I'm so s-sorry!" He immediately nuzzled a neck and didn't move, trying to stop his shivering, stifling a few sobs as he did so. He pulled the older closer and sniffled again.

It was a long time before either moved and the only reason for that was that the elder male started to cough loudly, the rain slowly making it colder and colder.

B silently implored his friend to lead them back, gripping an arm and not letting go, still shivering; not only in his fear, but the cooling temperature.

It took the pair an hour to find their way back, neither of them looking very well by the time they entered the hotel. They where both soaked through and coughing, the elder of the pair was barely able to keep his eyes open and the younger wasn't much better.

Going against his body's instinct to sleep, B stripped out of his clothes and went into the bathroom shivering and set about getting into the shower to prevent himself from getting ill. He needed to warm himself and fast and this was the only way to do so.

L on the other hand didn't have that presence of mind, instead he simply stripped off his clothes and crawled into bed still dripping wet.

After a short shower, he walked out and dried himself off and looked to his friend with a frown. He gets another towel and crawls in, maneuvering his friend so he could begin to dry him off in silence.

L leaned in to his friend's touch, shivering with cold still even now that Beyond was warm. The bed was soaked as well now which didn't help the situation at all.

B generated friction as he dried him off, eventually pulling him completely out of the bed to hold his friend to keep generating friction and warmth. When his body and hair were dry, he moved them both into the next bed, where he simply held the other close to him, letting his body warm the other.

The dark eyed raven curled up under the covers with his friend and quickly drifted off to sleep, neither of them bothering to tell their frantic adopted father they had returned.

The following morning, B looked to see his friend, immediately pulling him close and nuzzling a neck. The events that happened were still fresh in his mind. He shivered lightly and held him closer still.

They where both lucky to avoid getting horribly ill the previous night though some of the effects still seemed to linger. L was tired, more so then he should have been. Running through the rain had taken everything he had and now he was unable to wake himself up despite a very long sleep.

The red eyed raven didn't move either, holding his friend in place and drifting in and out of sleep, keeping his face buried in a neck.

It would be another two hours before the panda would wake fully, yawning and stretching out like a cat in place.

"Good morning Beyond..."

"Morning Lawli..." B nuzzled his neck and placed a soft kiss there before rubbing a shoulder.

"I've not seen Watari come in yet... I think he's very worried by now... Oh yeah, I got permission from the foxes. They say its's ok." He let his hands drift, rubbing and massaging skin on his friend's upper body.

L gave a little nod and cuddled in close once more, wanting to stay in bed where it's warm with his friend.

"I'm sorry I broke my promise to you, Lawli..." he murmured after a little time in silence.

"I just wanted to see how far I wanted to go. I lost track and lost myself in the process." He rolled onto his back and held his friend close, rubbing circles on his back.

The dark eyed raven rested his ear down to his friends chest and relaxed to the sound of his steadily beating heart.


	41. Fear 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 121

B rested his eyes and continued the back rub, listening as the door was knocked on and hearing Watari's heavy sigh of relief. There was an electronic sound before Watari's voice was heard.  
>"They're both in here. You can call it off." B opened an eye and looked at him, unconsciously pulling the older closer protectively.<br>"What happened to you Beyond?"  
>"I got lost," he answered bluntly.<p>

"I found him," L added equally as bluntly, though something about the way he said it gave away his poor physical condition after a night in the rain.

"This means I must monitor the progress of this sting until you are both in a better condition then. Do you know how worried I was?"  
>"Yes, Watari, and I'm sorry I didn't stick around. I apologize."<br>"Apology accepted, but I hope you've learned your lesson from this." The elder male let out a sigh and looked at the wet clothes and bed before setting about removing and replacing the bedding.

L shivered and closed his eyes again, trying to get a little warmer by rubbing up against his friend slightly.  
>"Is this bad weather to continue for much longer?"<p>

A soft gasp escaped, but he didn't stop rubbing his friend's back.  
>"I hope not... How did the autopsy go, by the way?"<p>

"I wrote you a report..." the elder mumbled and gestured towards the file on the bed side table. "Watari, can you bring the report in the red folder here please?"

The patient gentleman went to the paperwork and handed B the folder. B took it and made an adjustment so that he could read the contents and have his friend still against him. He took his time, memorizing everything inside, the eye details in particular.  
>"His eyes were different then. I suppose that mine would be different also to make up for my gift... Fascinating..."<p>

"Slightly... Though not enough for them to draw much attention in a normal autopsy... It would simply be written off as some form of degeneration or perhaps malformation..." L took a deep breath then and tried to word what he was about to say next as carefully as possible.  
>"Which is why I feel we are looking in all the wrong places for people like you Beyond... I feel we need to look into mental hospitals for people who are placed there for 'seeing things' when in fact they are truly seeing things..."<p>

B's eyes widened and he shook his head, moving the other off him and crawling out.  
>"No! I don't want to go! I'm not mad! You saw it yourself Lawli!" Watari's eyes widened at seeing the nude form of his son, taking a step back.<br>"I don't want to be examined! I'm not a lab rat! I'm not! I'm NOT!"

"No!" L got up quickly, trying to calm his friend.  
>"We know you're not mad Beyond, we want to see if there are others like you that people think are insane and have had locked away that's all... we want to help them!"<p>

B took up a squatting position, but still posed to flee.  
>"I'm not a guinea pig! I'm not a trial drug that has to be tested before it's tested on others... I'm not your experiment!" He edged away, eyes fearful. In his vision, the names and numbers he saw pulsed slightly brighter with every heartbeat.<p>

"Shh... alright I understand..." the elder whispered and opened his arms invitingly.  
>"We won't go there, it's okay just come back and keep me warm okay?"<p>

The younger raven's eyes were still wide and he stopped moving.  
>"D-do you promise...? I don't want to go and let my label as a freak become bold and visible... I don't want it..." He edged himself back a little at a time.<p>

"I promise..." L gave his friend a reassuring smile, "but I'm cold, so come back here okay?"

Cautiously and ignoring the odd look from their father, B edged himself back into the warmth of the bed and curled against his friend.  
>"I'm not crazy Lawli... I'm not. I don't want to go into a crazy home."<p>

"I know, we won't go there if you don't want to..." The dark eyed raven pulled the blankets up over his friend and himself cuddling into his warm body and sighing deeply.  
>"I only want you to be happy..."<p>

The younger raven shivered and buried his head underneath the blanket, nuzzling his chest.

"Xi wouldn't agree to it either, I'm sure of it. He was scared of his eyes too... but it would have been worse being locked in a building and seeing things no one else can see."

"There may be others like you already locked up," L mumbled.  
>"Don't you want to help them?" If Beyond didn't respond to this then he would drop it.<p>

"I'm a rarity Lawli... There is no one else like me..." He sighed and held his friend, still shivering lightly.

"We thought that before and then we met Xi..." L mumbled.  
>"Perhaps we should just skim through some records at some point, we don't even need to go anywhere near the hospital if you don't want to..."<p>

B remained silent, knowing with Xi that it there was a chance, but that was taken from him. He absently ran a hand over the older raven's chest, frowning slightly and feeling conflicted.

"It is entirely up to you Beyond, I won't make you do anything you don't want to do..."

Eventually, he shook his head.  
>"No... Something tells me it would be a bad idea... We were born with these gifts, but why and for what purpose is out of my reach and reasoning..."<p>

"Alright..." L gave his friend an innocent kiss on the forehead to assure him that he would not do anything without his friend's permission.

B edged up to a neck and nestled himself there.  
>"Thank you... I don't want to be a participant to something I don't want. I know you would not want the same."<p>

L nodded and pulled his friend in close, rubbing his back slowly.

"Well then," stated the elder, "I will bring in your breakfast then and go back to headquarters and see the progress of this case. I cannot keep the Chief of police waiting."

"Alright." The dark eyed raven agreed and closed his eyes, taking a deep relaxing breath.

The younger raven shifted to get comfortable and closed his eyes, letting the calm take over him. He placed tender kisses now and then while he calmed down. He didn't pay attention to the food tray being brought in, too relaxed to care.

L kept his eyes closed the entire time, enjoying just laying there and relaxing.

After a while, B grinned lazily, deciding to be a tease and trailed his right hand to pet the spot on L's left hip he remembered was sensitive for a moment before removing his hand completely and relaxing more.

L shivered and whimpered and begun to run his fingers through the others hair gently.

The younger raven's lazy grin didn't disappear and he leaned into the touch, rubbing slightly against the other as he shifted again briefly.

Another shiver and a soft hum from the dark eyed raven followed. He couldn't think of anywhere he would rather be than here with his blood eyed friend.


	42. Innocence 34

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 122

A short time passed before B felt a little hungry and groaned softly. He didn't want to leave, but hunger was winning. He reluctantly rolled off and made to get out and help himself to the food available.

L gave a sad sigh and sat up as well, moving for the tray of food to find more sushi rolls. Now Watari knew his boys would eat these without complaint it seemed he would be making them a lot more.

"Aw... No jam," he murmured in disappointment. He heard the sad sigh and looked to his friend.  
>"What's wrong? We can cuddle again when we're done." He gave a small grin before popping a roll into his mouth and chewing it slowly.<p>

The boy nodded and reached for one of the little sushi roles.  
>"It's cold..." he commented, putting the first little treat in his mouth.<p>

"It's supposed to be cold," he replied, wiping free rice that fell free from his mouth. He picked up the next one and played with it while he ate.

"Perhaps though with the weather I think I may have liked something a little warmer..." It was a soft mumble and picked up another.

"Agreed..." He popped the next one in and chewed it slowly.  
>"You know what? We should ask him to make something warmer for us next time." He sidled closer and offered him his next roll with a smile.<p>

L took the little roll in his mouth and chewed it happily.  
>"Soup would be nice..."<p>

"Or warm noodles that I've heard a lot about... or are those Chinese?" He swallowed and looked to his friend and leaned over, licking away a stray rice and toying with his next sushi for chewing on.

"Noodles in soup..." L mused.  
>"No I am sure they are here..."<p>

"Japan is a large exporter of fish. China is Rice and noodles. Unless the Japanese have their own kind of noodles?" He popped another one and ate it slowly.

"We shall have to ask Watari when he returns..." the dark eyed raven begun to slowly begun to dissect one of the little wraps, eating it layer at a time.

"It will be interesting nonetheless," he said around his roll, poking at the next one and swallowing after some time. He opted to hollow out the next roll, delicately licking out the fish and outward.

It wasn't long before said gentleman returned to see how they were getting on, smiling happily when he saw his still naked boys up and eating rather than laying around looking rather ill.  
>"Watari... For dinner can we have noodles?" the panda asked, mumbling around the food in his mouth.<br>"We would both like something warm..."

"If that's what you would like, then yes. I have news regarding the case. Weather has held back the morning rounds, whi-"  
>"That's not good enough Watari, you're letting more innocent kids lose their lives out there. The police need to be on top of this. Weather or no weather, this is serious."<p>

"I agree entirely with Beyond." L swallowed his food to speak firmly yet still with his usual calm.  
>"Rain, hail or shine, we need this evenings operations to go as planned. If we do not force this issue then there will, not might be, will be more loss of life."<p>

"Yes. It is imperative that this monster is caught before it's too late and he gets bored or suspicious and moves into another area. That will have more lives lost and more time wasted trying to locate him." He put his last roll into his mouth and chewed slowly.  
>"You didn't let me finish. I was going to say that we are preparing for the weather change by dressing our morning bait to prevent it from getting wet and useless. The evening bait are well prepared as it is."<p>

"Good, well then I have a plan to speed up the killer slightly, making him more likely to fall into our traps..." L mumbled, picking apart another roll.  
>"We can 'leak' information that the killer has been apprehended... this will make him angry and more likely to make mistakes, also making him more likely to rush for our bait. He does not want someone else to get credit for his crimes."<p>

"That is an excellent plan, Watson. I predict that there will be a 40% higher chance of him making that mistake and falling into the hands of the law."  
>"How would you like that information leaked, then L?"<p>

"We simply have someone in the police become more talkative... We tell them that they are to say that they have the killer in custody for questioning to whoever seems appropriate... the women at the corner store, the parents of the children who go to his child's school... anyone and everyone in normal conversation without making it look like its been intentionally leaked... this leaked information will reach his ears as I believe he is seeking it... on that note the one chosen to be the 'leak' should be highly social and talkative, someone who wouldn't seem out of place talking openly about the case in public... probably someone young... it would help if he had a wife who is also talkative and into gossip..."

"There are in fact two people who fit the bill. I will go and relay the message and see how that works out. Before I go, is there anything else that you'd like?"  
>"Nothing from my end. I'm assisting in this case, no more no less."<p>

"I would like to request that with our dinner we have some kind of warm drink." L mused.

"Very well. I will bring you tea then."

"I changed my mind, Watari. I would still like that jam as soon as possible. I've been deprived of it too long."  
>"As you wish. I will return in a couple hours with another update."<p>

The dark eyed raven watched their adopted father leave before looking back at his friend with curious eyes.  
>"Why weren't you aloud to stay in the shrine that time?" he asked quietly.<br>"You said you would explain later..."

"I brought bad energies with me. I guess that one of the foxes could see it with its eyes. They didn't want me to infect their peace with it." He looked for something to distract himself with and went for his pocky sticks, removing one and nibbling on it.

"Oh..." L looked down at the floor for a long moment, letting his toes roll over the toes of the other foot.  
>"I asked for their help in finding you last night though they did not answer... perhaps they tried and I could not see them or perhaps they didn't feel I was worthy of talking to... maybe they didn't even know where you where..."<p>

"Perhaps they did help you. You have natural instincts, Lawli, but I got lost 2 hours into my walk. There was no possible way you would have found me under any normal circumstances." He finished his stick and leaned in to give a kiss to his friend's cheek.  
>"I don't know what I would have done if you did not find me. I would have died of cold and exposure."<p>

"Maybe they did..." L gave a small smile and took one of his friends sticks for himself, sucking the coating off slowly.  
>"Either way, I am glad I found you..."<p>

"I'm glad you found me too..." He bit off the other half of the stick and chewed. He smiled softly and waited until his friend was done before leaning into place more soft kisses to his cheek, lips and neck. This was in gratitude and to reassure himself of the bond they shared.

The dark eyed raven gave a soft smile and laid down once more, pulling his friend to lay down next to him. His pocky stick was slowly going soft so he nibbled away at it until it was gone then snuggled into the younger's bare chest.

The younger raven didn't stop his gentle attentions and used the angle to gently nibble at an ear for a short while before burying his face in raven locks.

The elder pulled the blankets up over them and closed his eyes, still not feeling well after everything that had happened.


	43. Ilness 1

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 123

B didn't remove his face from its location and held his friend close, welcoming the dark and warmth. He nuzzled his head now and then. Eventually he fell into a light sleep, his darkness growing ever more in that short time frame.

L too went into a very light sleep and one that would only last an hour though he was sure he would feel much better when he awoke.

It would be in the form of a nightmare, one he would have no recollection of. He found himself staring into a smoke mirror. He saw a black, almost oily looking mass on his skin that felt warm to the touch, though it was only in the reflection that it was visible. It had taken up a section of his shoulder and trailing into his throat area. Curiosity spurred him and he carefully touched it. As soon as he'd touched it, the black mass began to bubble and heat up. He recoiled and tried to brush it off, but it burned and he cried out in pain. The angry boiling increased and began to spread, causing him to cry out and writhe in agony. It got too much for him and he blacked out, forcing his body to wake up in a cold sweat.

"Are you alright?" the boy next to him asked quietly and calmly despite having one of his rare naps being broken by his friend's cries.

The younger raven was breathing heavily, but the dream was lost.  
>"I... I guess.." he managed, trying and failing to remember that dream.<br>"I think I might have had a nightmare or something... I don't know."

L put his arms around his friend and pulled him close.  
>"You don't know?"<p>

"No... I'm trying to remember, but I can't..."

"Maybe its a good thing then..." the dark eyed raven mumbled and begun to play with his friends hair.

"Perhaps..." He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.  
>"Lawli..." he started out of the blue after some time in silence, "I don't feel very good... It's not my stomach or my head. I've been trying to pinpoint it, but it evades me. I feel ill, but I don't know how or why."<p>

"I don't feel well either..." the elder mumbled quietly.  
>"I think it's because we were out in the rain and cold for so long yesterday..."<p>

"Maybe, but this feels different somehow... I don't feel healthy, I feel ill in another way. I don't know how..."

L wasn't quite sure what to make of this so he simply begun to rub his friends back comfortingly.

Red eyes closed and B fell into a dreamless sleep, shifting subtly and shivering lightly.

The detective wasn't sure what to think or whether or not to be worried about his friend so he simply remained quiet and continued to show his love.

For reasons known and unknown, B didn't wake up; his deep and dreamless sleep would last for many hours into the next day. He would not see Watari return back into their room as promised with warm soup, tea and jam.

After the day seemed to be melting away L had become worried about his friend, deciding finally to wake him around 12pm.  
>"Beyond," he mumbled, shaking his friend gently.<p>

B shifted subtly, but otherwise remained unresponsive. His skin felt clammy and on the warm side.

"Beyond please wake up," the elder mumbled a little louder and continued trying to wake him.

He continued to remain unresponsive for some time despite the efforts. He eventually showed a sign, a pained groan and uncomfortable, but light shifting.

"Beyond!" The now very worried raven repeated, looking up at Watari who had just came in to update the boys on the investigation.  
>"Watari, Beyond is sick!"<p>

Watari set the small report papers aside and went to the younger raven's side, placing a palm to the warmer skin and getting a shudder and pained moan in response.  
>"This isn't good. He should not have run off. He knows his immunity is nowhere near yours. If he gets ill, it hits hard and fast. I'm afraid I need to call in the local ambulance for him."<p>

"I will go with him..." L mumbled and got to his feet, pulling on a pair of boxers and at the same time putting a pair on B carefully as well.

The younger shivered and let out another pained moan and shifted uncomfortably. While L took care of dressing them, Watari went to the phone and dialed Japan's emergency services number and relayed the information when he was answered.

"I am afraid you will have to handle the sting without me..." L mumbled, slowly rubbing his friend's chest.  
>"I won't leave his side nor focus on anything else until he is well..."<p>

The elderly male nodded in understanding.  
>"It's not a problem. The ambulance will be here shortly. I will let you know that you'll be accompanying Beyond under his chosen alias. I needed to give a first name, so I chose Rue. Make sure to address him by that name while he's in the hospital. They will only know him as Rue Ryuzaki."<p>

"And for me?" The dark eyed raven asked quietly, stroking the hair from his friends face.

"You are his fraternal twin Koji. I already gave then the relevant information and requested that relevant information pertaining to Rue's status is to be relayed to you. You are protected from giving them any extra information as you are a minor. If they press, you remind them of this."

"I understand." L looked to the door as two men came in with a stretcher for his friend.  
>"Thank you for your understanding, Watari..."<p>

"Rue's health is top priority. Take good care of him." A pained whimper escaped as B was transferred, freeing tears in the process.

L took his hand and stayed by his side every second of the trip to the hospitable and only moved away while the doctor there examined him, even then not letting more then a meter of space separate them.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" the detective asked assertively after the doctor finished his examination.

"He seems to be reacting severely to what would have been a minor flu. Your adoptive father tells us that his immunity is compromised from a history of illnesses and other physical complications. Taken that into account and the fact he was exposed to cooler temperatures, your brother has a high fever with a risk of pneumonia." B lay shivering lightly and fallen back into what seemed to be rest.

"What can you do for him here and now?" He asked insistently.  
>"We can pay whatever is necessary, but we need him to get the best possible medical care immediately." Somehow for the doctor talking to the young L wasn't much like talking to a child and they found it difficult to understand how such intellect was compressed into such a young body.<p>

"What we can do is cool him off and monitor his lungs as well as get some fluids into him. Your father tells us that he's had tumors in the past, so his lungs will be needing the most attention, should they fail on him." The doctor looked to the younger raven and back.  
>"He didn't tell us that his eyes were different. They don't appear to be a barrier though and we will not press on the matter."<p>

"They are not different..." the boy explained.  
>"He has our fathers eyes and I took more after my mother..." There was a small underlying truth to this, as L did in fact have his mothers eyes and by tying his lie to a fact he knew well he was sure not to forget it.<p>

"It is a very common color where my father comes from."

"Interesting. Well I suppose it's not a color seen here very often. We do get honey colored eyes and the occasional blue tinged, but not a scarlet color. He's fortunate then, I suppose." The doctor turns his attention to the young raven and looks over the chart with the given information and instructs the team to bring B to their ICU for observations and to keep the youth in a sterile environment.


	44. Illness 2

Disclaimer and such in Part 175

Part 124

L as usual refused to be separated from his friend and followed close behind, taking a seat next to his bed and stroking his hand softly. He would remain that way until his friend awoke and nothing any one could do would move him.

With an IV drip in his arm and an orderly sharing the space to monitor the boy's breathing, things were pretty silent. B was unmoving, caught in a dreamless sleep and shivering lightly. Every so often his face would contort slightly in pain or his breathing would hitch, but other than that, he was immobile and silent.

Three days where spent like this without food or sleep for the elder of the pair. He didn't even so much as flinch when Watari came in to tell him that his plan had been successful.  
>*Of course it was, it was my plan,* was all he thought, but said nothing. His friend was doing much better now, and seemed to be feeling better to though now it was the pain killing cocktail that kept him asleep for those extra hours.<p>

The first sign of life from the red eyed raven was a slight whimpering sound and shifting in the bed. The sounds eventually started to get louder and insistent as he became more coherent.

"Hey, Rue your alright." L mumbled, stroking the boys cheek softly to encourage him to wake himself.

There was a sound that could have been B calling him, but it was an upward inflection sound that made no sense, at least to those who didn't know what it meant.

L nodded and gave a little smile, but quickly corrected him.  
>"It's Koji, remember?" he hoped his friend was coherent enough to get what he was implying.<p>

The younger's eyes contorted in confusion.  
>"L... Lawli...? W-what...?" His face became more confused and his head tilted.<p>

The boy leaned down to whisper in his young friend's ear.  
>"I'm using an alias, your in the hospital, your safe."<p>

"N... no..." B frowned, shaking his head lightly.  
>"D-don't... want... to be... here..."<p>

"You're sick," the dark eyed raven whispered though with a little more force.  
>"Once your a little better we can go back to the hotel, not before. A isn't here to take care of you so we just have to deal..."<p>

"N-no..." B squirmed and tried to move to get himself out of the bed.  
>"Don't... don't wanna..." He frowned and kept trying.<p>

The elder climbed up on the bed and pinned his friend down gently, letting B see exactly how bad he looked after days of worrying.  
>"Please, I promise I won't let them hurt you..."<p>

The younger raven stopped and stared into his friend's eyes before looking away and frowning.  
>"I didn't want to be here..." he whispered.<br>"I don't like these places... Mum was here when she almost died from the pills my un-dad forced into her. It was scary... these places reminds me of that day..." He sniffled and closed his eyes.

"I know..." L softly stroked his friends hair and leaned down to give him a small, innocent kiss. "But I'm here... Its only until you're well, and your pretty much better already..."

Tears fell and B started to lightly shake and sniffle, reliving an old memory long ingrained into his mind.  
>"Mum..." he whispered, hugging himself.<br>"D-don't go..."

The dark eyed raven lay down next to his friend and hugged him tightly.  
>"It's alright..." he whispered.<br>"I won't let anything happen..."

B held his friend and nuzzled his neck, freeing more tears.  
>"I... I just don't want to be here... It hurts Lawli..."<p>

L thought for a long moment, biting his thumb and staring at his friends chest.  
>"Alright... you can come back to the hotel, but you have to stay in bed and take whatever medicine Watari gives you without complaint... Do we have a deal?"<p>

B nods and sniffles again, keeping his eyes closed to block the memories away.  
>"I promise..."<p>

"Alright." L reached for the phone next to the bed and quickly called their adopted father. Even after explaining everything, the elderly man was reluctant, but eventually agreed to the panda's terms as well and came to pick them both up not long after.

The younger raven remains silent for the trip back and stays in bed as he promised. His body was tired and he had frequent naps that took up most of the time he was recovering.

Once more the detective took up a position at his friends side, not moving for anything other then to go to the bathroom which he didn't do much due to the lack of food and water he was getting.

Red eyes were unfocused when B woke from one of his naps and noticed his friend by his side. He carefully moved a hand and slowly petted his hair, letting his eyes drift back into slumber once more.

L was happy for the little bit of attention he got every now and then, but was now starting to worry their adopted father with his fasting.

The elderly gentleman wheeled in a tray with noodles with shrimp and vegetables.  
>"L, you need to eat something. You've not touched anything I've brought in here so far. You know that Beyond is recovering slowly. He'll be fine, just don't starve yourself. You don't want to die on him, do you?"<p>

"I won't die Watari..." the elder mumbled, stroking his friends hair softly.

"The human body can go weeks without food... If I were you I would be much more worried about the lack of sleep for that would supposedly kill someone faster though I have yet to feel any such ill effects..."

"Regardless L, it would put me at ease if you ate something. Since you brought it up, you should try get some rest while you're at it." B's eyes opened again; he smiled weakly and resumed petting until sleep took over.

With that the whole concept of food or sleep was gone from the detectives mind once more, now he was back to only thinking about Beyond and completely ignoring Watari.

"L!" It was a lot more stern than he'd used with his eldest son before.  
>"Please listen to me here. I'm worried about you both, please try to put an old gentleman's worries at ease by eating something and resting. I'm not asking for anything else."<p>

"I will Watari..." the elder mumbled softly, stroking his friends cheek, "as soon as Beyond is better again."

"Please eat something now. At least take 2 mouthfuls of these noodles. If you can do even that for me my boy, I will not bother you about it."

L sighed and sat up, taking the spoon and picking at the food for several moments before actually moving any to his mouth. He scrunched up his nose at the taste, but ate just a little before laying down next to his friend once more.

Watari sighed heavily, knowing that would likely be the most he'd eat until Beyond recovered fully. He removed the medicine for the red eyed raven and gently woke him up so he could administer it. B whined and opened his eyes tiredly. Watari poured the liquefied dose and waited until it was swallowed. The taste was foul and B almost gagged, whimpering in protest, but managed to swallow before shuddering and drifting back.

The dark eyed raven was quietly proud of his friend for not making a fuss over everything and keeping his word about letting them take care of him.


	45. Innocence 35

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 125

It would be another 2 days before the red eyed raven would be able to wake up completely without falling back asleep. His seemingly endless sleep was broken when he finally opened his eyes and yawned. He blinked a few times before looking at his friend and giving a small smile, pulling him in close to kiss his forehead.

"Good morning Beyond..." the elder whispered, his voice slightly raspy now.  
>"Do you feel any better today?"<p>

"A little..." His voice was barely above a whisper from a lack of talking. He coughed and winced slightly.  
>"You don't sound too well Lawli..."<p>

"I'm alright..." L assured his friend and ran his fingers through the other boys hair affectionately.

The younger hummed softly and leaned into the touch.  
>"Thanks for sticking by me," he said. The scent of food reached his nose though and his stomach growled loudly. He whined softly and licked his lips hungrily.<p>

The dark eyed boy gave a small smile and helped his friend sit up, loading the spoon with the fresh tomato soup Watari had brought and feeding it to his friend despite the fact Beyond was probably well enough to do this for himself.

B took the food without protest, being far too hungry to care what went in him. He made little breathy sounds as he ate, his lungs still needing to recover somewhat.

L managed to feed the boy the entire bowl and all the bread that came with it before Watari even returned.  
>"Do you want something else?"<p>

"No..." he responded almost silently, petting his full stomach with a satisfied grin.  
>"Ah, you're awake at last Beyond. I'm glad to see it. L, since your temporary break, there have been a couple other serial killers within the city limits that have come up. Are you interested in taking them? Suspect 1 is an obsessive compulsive who always leaves the victims in alleyways with clean bodies and a fresh set of clothes. Suspect 2 is is someone who kills the victims with lethal doses of some home-made chemical compound. Neither suspect has yet to be identified and there are no witness reports that have come about."<p>

The dark eyed raven tilted his head to the side in thought.  
>"I suppose I could help them..." he mumbled and looked back at his friend.<p>

Red eyes looked back at his friend and looked subtly disappointed, but understanding.  
>"If you need help... I can try offer it when I can. I need to recover a bit more is all..."<p>

"No I won't do anything until you're better..." the elder stated and started playing with the other boy's hair once more.

Watari nodded slowly.  
>"If you're certain about this, I can pass off information gathering back to the police until you are ready." B hummed and closed his eyes for a moment.<br>"You know how stubborn he is Watari. He's not going to budge until he knows I'm 100% again."

"I will help them only if they cannot help themselves in the time it takes Beyond to recover... they should consider this a test of the skills I have given them..."

"Very well then. Would you give Beyond his medicine in my absence? He's due for a dose in an hour and it is his second last one before his body is strong enough on its own." B winced and edged away slightly.

"I will." L pulled his friend back next to him and made him lay down again.  
>"We have a deal Beyond, you're to take it without a fuss..." he reminds the dark eyed raven.<p>

"Fine... but I want something in return." He leaned in to whisper into the older raven's ear.  
>"Let me give you good feelings one time, just like I promised I would do now and then. That and one of your candies to remove the foul taste."<p>

"When you're well..." the elder told him bluntly and reached for the draw, pulling out one of his many stored away treats for the other boy; a gummi in the shape of a grape vine in a little purple packet that attracted the elder for some reason in the little corner shop.

"I'll hold you to it Lawli," he replied, filing it away for later. He looked to what he was reaching for and his head tilted curiously.  
>"I don't remember seeing that when we bought those things. Maybe it slipped my mind."<p>

"It was in the pile..." L explained, "with everything else." He finally managed to get the treat and hand it to his friend for later.

The younger raven held it in his palm, toying with it for a while.  
>"You could have taken the case, you know? I would not have any qualms about it. I know you care, but this is your job. This is what you're being paid to do."<p>

"I did take the case Beyond..." the elder stated.  
>"They must simply wait to request my help. This will be good for them, they need to be competent on there own..."<p>

"I see. Anyways... I need to shower; I smell bad." He crawled out of bed slowly and tested his legs, finding them only slightly shaky from lack of weight on them for some time.  
>"I don't want to be in the bed any longer if this is going to keep up. You know how I am about cleanliness..."<p>

"Alright..." the elder slowly slinked into the bathroom after him.  
>"I need a shower as well..."<p>

"Did you want to wait or share?" B stripped and started the water.  
>"Personally, I don't care, you know that."<p>

L thought for a moment before stripping himself off also.  
>"I will share," he stated, wanting to get back to sitting down as quickly as possible.<p>

"Alright." B adjusted the temperature and hopped in. Sensing slight impatience from the older, the red eyed raven wasted no time and began to clean himself in his usual manner, letting out a breathy sigh of satisfaction for finally getting clean again.

The dark eyed raven lazily went over his body and cleaned the entire thing top to toe though slightly faster then usual. He really didn't feel well enough to be messing around.

As usual, B was out first, drying his hair and walking out with a towel around his waist, setting about getting new clothes to change into, in this case, just flannel pants until he could be more active. He crawled back into the now clean other bed, taking his gummi and playing with it while he waited.

L finished not long after and dried himself, pulling on his usual change of clothes before getting into bed next to the other. He was clearly exhausted and didn't want to be on his feet any longer than he had to.

There were several scientific formulas running through B's mind. The lag from the illness created a gap in which he felt he lost some IQ points. He decided to make up for it by running several chemical formulas in his mind, mentally mixing and matching compounds to produce theoretical mixtures that had equal parts healing and killing abilities. He then began to try mentally recreate several natural fruit drinks with only chemicals, natural and unnatural alike.

The dark eyed raven put his head on his friend's shoulder and tried his hardest not to appear as though he was getting sick himself though it was become more and more clear that he would have to sleep soon like it or not. His body was now even twitching every now and then beyond his control simply from running so long without rest.


	46. Role Play

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 126

B looked down from his thoughts that were now running a mile a minute and gazed at his exhausted friend. He ran a hand through his hair before laying him down and rubbing his chest slowly.  
>"You need to rest Lawli. Stop fighting it. I'll take the medicine on my own."<p>

"Are you sure?" L knew beyond was more then capable of taking his medicine on his own but he still didn't want to sleep and potentially miss anything.

"Anything that Watari brings in, I'll make sure he leaves here for your consideration. Anything that happens to you in the short time spans between visits, Watari will be the first to know." He leaned down and gave a kiss to his forehead before petting raven locks.  
>"Just sleep. When you're caught up, you can take the steering wheel again."<p>

The elder thought for a moment before giving a soft sigh and a nod, finally closing his eyes after almost a week. Had Beyond not known any better his friends body's constant twitching and shaking would have been disturbing, but this was not the first time he had seen his Lawli this exhausted and he was sure it wouldn't be the last.

B remained diligent next to the older, only getting up to take the medicine that he almost threw back up. He returned and waited a short while before popping the gummy grape into his mouth and sucking on it with relief. He removed himself from the bed again and sought out the lined paper he'd been allowed to borrow and began writing out his mental formulas and their theoretical outcomes.

It was almost worrying to see the tired eyed panda sleeping for so long so deeply, not even moving at the smell of the sweet lollies being opened right next to him.

The younger raven popped one into his mouth and continued his work. He knew that Lawli was exhausted and that he could become more ill at any time, in which he could return the favor and stick around until his friend got better. He also knew his friend's immunity was far stronger than his and his chances of recovery were better. It was still unusual and he kept a close eye on his chest and listening to his breathing.

The rest of that day passed without incident, L slowly recovering from his sleepless nights and stopping his constant twitches though every now and then his leg would kick slightly in discomfort.

B put down his notebook and removed the several pages of formulas before turning his attention to one such pile of reports Watari had brought in and began to review those. Something was not quite adding up with him so he did the only thing he could think of that might help and went to the floor and lay on his back, looking up at the ceiling in silence, trying to put himself in the victim's predicament and seeking answers that way.

The dark eyed raven awoke to find his friend like that, mimicking the position of the person in the crime scene photo.  
>"What are you doing?"<p>

"I'm a corpse..." he stated bluntly. In his mind, he was trying to re-create the events that might have led to the victim being this way. It was clear that this killer was sociable and trustworthy, but with an OCD complex, the killer and victim might have become acquainted in one of a few hangouts that promoted cleanliness or something of the like. It might not have been severe, however. The victims were likely drugged at one of these gatherings where the murderer would perhaps abuse them. No bruises indicated they were consensual encounters, no rape. The killer might have known the victims... perhaps a long time and got their trust...

"No, you are quite clearly still alive Beyond..." The elder was slowly becoming more and more confused by his friends actions, being one of the stranger things he had ever woken up to him doing.

"I'm a corpse. I have died. Why have I died? That's what I'm trying to figure out here Lawli."

L tilted his head to the side, still not entirely sure what his friend was trying to accomplish.

"I believe that I died at the hands of an acquaintance or someone who has earned my trust, at least enough that I could go to the place they have called home. I think my killer was highly sociable, but was a closet OCD, likely keeping their home in a constant state of pristine. I would have been impressed by what I saw and only then begin to notice the odd quirks that my murderer possessed. I think that I was eventually served a drink that was laced to ease the tension. I would have felt the effects and was too helpless to defend myself as my murderer took my life swiftly. My clothes, being too bloody and obvious would have been stripped from my body and my lifeless form was probably washed and scrubbed to near spotlessness after my blood had drained. Soon after, I was probably redressed and taken by vehicle to an alleyway and placed in this way."

The dark eyed raven got to his feet and moved to crouch down by his friend, taking the file from next to him and reading through it carefully.  
>"I do believe that this was most likely the case..." he mumbled, biting at his thumb.<p>

"My murderer likely wears gloves with the OCD. I would look for the suspect in a social setting and/or somewhere within quick access to cleaning products. That would be my guess."

"I would agree..." L mumbled, "but perhaps not about the gloves... to wash the victim like this signifies some sort of need for close body contact... gloved during the killing, but not during any of the after processes..."

"Perhaps latex gloves for re-dressing and a light material for transport and discarding. I don't think that the murderer ever used leather gloves. Latex still leaves a trace that can be used."

"I would agree there..." The elder thought for a few long moments.  
>"Latex gloves are also prone to breaking... which leaves yet more potential evidence behind..."<p>

"If they are able to pull off anything that hints to this OCD serial murderer, they've done a lot already. They are already more than halfway there. If they knew how this killer thinks, then that would solve it sooner." He looked at his friend from his prone position.  
>"I assume you're all caught up on your sleep then, huh Lawli?"<p>

L rubbed his own head for a moment before replying.  
>"I still do not feel that I am at my peak mentally or physically, however I will cope..."<p>

B gestured to the papers with the formulas on it.  
>"You need some mental stimulation to get yourself back on track. I felt the time recovering actually dumbed me down some, so I needed to stimulate my mind and challenge myself."<p>

The detective got to his feet and padded back to his drawer filled with candy, choosing some and moving back to crouch on the floor next to his friend.  
>"Maybe it is simply a lack of sugar..."<p>

"Perhaps. You do function better on it. I've noticed this. As a problem solving tool, it's a major help in that respect." B looked at the noodles that were there from earlier and went to get it, taking the bowl and then using the chopsticks provided and helping himself to some.

L began to eat his treat, still sitting on the floor.  
>"I believe it raises my deductive ability by close to 10%"<p>

"I would guess that if you were consistent, that deductive ability would increase by up to 20% or more" He goes back to the floor and holds the bowl on his thighs, slurping down noodles and trying a shrimp.

L put two of the hard, round, lemon flavor balls in his mouth at once and sucked eagerly.  
>"Any increase, no matter how large or small is welcome," the elder mumbled around some of the hard candies he was sucking on.<p>

"If it helps, I have no objections," he replied, chewing on his mouthful.  
>"Watari said that they will be performing an autopsy of the victim I was playing out tomorrow. If they find prints or foreign DNA, then this case solves itself."<p>

"Then all they need is a suspect to compare it to..." L mumbled and sighed.  
>"I wonder how far they will get on there own? I like it here, but I can't fly out every time they have a murder or missing child..."<p> 


	47. Innocence 36

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 127

"You've given them tools to solve these cases far better. The only sort of criminal that they would have a hard time defending themselves against is a supernatural one... like myself! I'm not saying I'm a criminal, but I am supernatural. Then again, I don't think my gift would really help me make a name for myself..." He lost himself in an internal ramble about a possible criminal career before dismissing it and going back into reality.

"There would be uses..." the elder mumbled, joining his friend momentarily in his fictional world.  
>"You would know if you would be successful or not ahead of time and could avoid having victims escape."<p>

"Very true. I could stalk my victims and get close to them. They could give me every alias in their books, but I would know better. Every great murderer has a signature piece that they leave. Perhaps I may leave one, perhaps not." He ate more noodles and chewed slowly.  
>"As a person working in the criminal field, I could work to diffuse the aliases or be a criminal behaviorist."<p>

"I believe you would make the best human lie detector in the world..." the elder mused.  
>"For you, it seems the natural choice."<p>

"Perhaps. I can spot liars as naturally as breathing. I've always been able to, even as a young kid before Wammy's. My interests in science have always been greater than the criminal field. Perhaps a Private Investigator on the side for something to do," he mused, putting more noodles in his mouth and chewing heartily.

"You have a lifetime to work that out Beyond..." With that the elder bit into the candy, crunching it up into smaller peaces to make room for more. It was an action he knew his adopted father would be against and his words played in the boys mind even as he did so: 'L, that is inappropriate, you will break your teeth.'

B went silent for some time, contemplating the discussion exchanged and figuring out what it was he really wanted to do. He was skilled in many areas, just like his friend, but he had his gift that no one else, save for Xi, did. There was no way he was going to submit himself into a hospitals for crazies, regardless of the intent. No one deserves to go there, he certainly didn't. He was never just seeing things, he showed Lawli this. Lawli knows he's not crazy, Lawli is his protector and his person to protect. They help each other. Beyond Birthday and Lawli, together forever!

The dark eyed raven noticed his friend was thinking again and crawled up on the bed next to him to sit at his side.

*Wait a minute... Did I just refer to myself in third person? Who does that?* B brought a finger to his mouth and nibbled on it.  
>"Lawli... do you suppose it is normal to refer to yourself in the third person while thinking? I just did."<p>

"I am not sure, I do not know how other people refer to themselves while thinking..." the elder explains, letting himself lay back in the pillows slowly.

"Curious..." He finished his noodles and set down the bowl. He coughed lightly before crawling under the bed sheets he rolled over and ran his fingers over his stomach, giggling a little before finding another ticklish location and giggling some more.

L moved to cuddle into his friend, wanting the warmth he knew he could find there.

B let his friend cuddle him, still tickling himself and giggling away. He brought a hand to his ear and shivered and stopped.  
>*It's not ticklish there,* he reminded himself, continuing to roam and find spots to tickle, amusing himself.<p>

The detective wasn't sure what his friend was doing, but was so tired he didn't really care. All he wanted to do now was close his eyes and sleep some more which he did.

Eventually B had tickled himself into light pants and he stopped, looking at his friend and smiling softly. He was not tired this night and would stay up watching over him.

After a short time the dark eyed raven begun to softly hum in his sleep, something that Beyond had never seen his friend do before.

Red eyes held their gaze on the young detective. B tilted his head curiously and listened to this strange event and put it to memory.

L's little song only lasted a few moments before he gripped a handful of the sheets in some kind of nightmare though he would not remember what it was about.

The younger raven ran a hand through his hair and held his friend to his chest protectively.  
>"They're not going to hurt you Lawli. You're safe."<p>

There was a soft whimper followed by relaxation as the nightmares started to dissolved into Beyond's gentle touch.

B kissed L's forehead lovingly and continued to pet his hair and back, pulling the blankets closer to them and relaxing a little more.

It was then that their adopted father would return, medium sized card board box in hand with the signature of a ceramics and pottery company in Japanese on the side. It wasn't hard for the red eyed raven to figure out what was inside.  
>"This was delivered to the police office today and the Chief of police snuck a peak, he says the design and craftsmanship is exquisite and he is glad he recommended this company to us..."<p>

B's eyes widened and a smile grew  
>"May I see it, Watari?" He didn't want to disturb his friend, but knowing that his urn came in was uplifting.<p>

The elderly male nodded and removed it from the box filled with protective foam beads, revealing Beyond's sketch brought into reality.  
>"I must say, they surpassed my expectations... my only concern is that with something this beautiful it may attract thieves, though the shrines care takers assure me that they will take very good care of it and treat it as a part of their treasures."<p>

"It's beautiful, Watari. It even went above my expectations. I trust they will keep it safe. It's my special gift to my friend. I hope he likes it." He looked to his friend and smiled.  
>"I want to bring it to him when Lawli wakes up. I want to know it's going there safely."<p>

The elderly male nodded and gave his adopted son a warm smile.  
>"You are dealing with this very well, I am very proud of you."<p>

"He's not entirely gone. I have no reason to miss him if I know he's not gone in spirit." He smiled and petted L's head some more.  
>"I know he's happier wherever he is."<p>

Watari smiled at this, putting the urn down next to there bed for him to look at a little more without waking L.  
>"He hasn't slept since you became ill you know... or eaten..."<p>

"I'm not surprised. He stayed up the entire time I was recovering from the operation for my tumors. He's stubbornly dedicated." B smiled and continued to pet his head while he looked at his urn closely, reaching out and touching it, feeling the details.

"I must say that he is quite frustrating to deal with; had you not recovered quickly I am sure he would have starved himself to death before choosing to eat himself."

"I'll need to encourage him to eat more. I don't like to see him hurting himself. It makes me think I'm hurting him by him hurting himself." He looked to the detective once more.  
>"Lawli, you need to eat when I'm recovering. I don't care what happens. I'm recovering for a reason and I'm in good hands. Don't fret over me all the time."<p>

"I think it may be stress related, and that he honestly can't eat or sleep..." The elderly gentlemen sounded slightly frustrated by his younger son.  
>"I don't think he is doing it to himself deliberately, it's just how he copes..."<p> 


	48. Illness 3

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 128

"Well then... I hope I'm not on my death bed the next time... I'd hate to think what would happen if I died and he was next to me..." He sensed the slight frustration and pulled the older closer to himself protectively before giving a small glare.  
>"If that's the case, then it's not his fault, so don't take it out on him, ok? Or me for that matter."<p>

"I know, I know I simply am asking for a little help in getting him to take care of himself once more." Watari explained.  
>"Even if it's as simple as getting you each a strawberry smoothie, which is high in vitamins, minerals and fats. I have been trying to get him to take one of them me for days, but he is completely unresponsive."<p>

"It's not his fault, but I see your point. I have a plan of attack for the next time I'm recovering from something like this. I want you to let him eat when I'm coherent enough, or at least responding to his voice. When he's assured that I'm ok and responsive, it may motivate him to eat something. Every other time, It should be ok..."

The elderly man sighed and gave a small nod before moving to the door.  
>"Is there anything you would like me to get you?"<p>

"Jam, please?" He looked to his friend and back.  
>"Watari... I'm sorry that we can be stressful at times, but we do care about you and we do love you and are grateful for everything, even if we don't show it all the time."<p>

Watari gave his adopted children a small smile.  
>"I know, you are both my boys and I only want what's best for both of you. That's the only reason I become stressed over anything that you do. Please, try to help L regain his appetite and eat well yourself... I love you both..."<p>

"I love you too, Watari. I'll make sure Lawli's appetite is back to normal. He eats when I'm eating for the most part." He offered a smile before settling farther into the bed and playing with raven locks.

L gave a soft huff in his sleep and buried his head more into the others chest.  
>"I love you Beyond..." It came out in a whisper, indicating clearly what the elder was now dreaming about.<p>

"I love you too, Lawli," he whispered back, petting his hair lovingly and fondly.

It was another full hour before the dark eyed raven would wake again, now looking quite ill from lack of food, but somewhat less tired.

"Hey sleepyhead," B mumbled around his jam covered fingers. He finished sucking off the sweet treat and reached over to the vegetable soup that was left behind also and taking the spoon and offering it to his friend when he was coherent.

The elder shook his head for a moment, feeling much too tired and much too ill to want to put anything into his stomach.

B frowned and implored silently.  
>"You need to eat something Lawli. You're losing too much weight from not eating anything and it's making you more ill. Eat the soup part. Tomatoes are fruit and will help you get better."<p>

Without removing his head from his friend's chest he sipped the soup in silence before closing his eyes again. He wasn't trying to be defiant he was simply too exhausted now to manage any more.

B spooned more and brought the spoon and edged a tiny amount into L's mouth at a time before repeating the process once over and letting him rest.

L nuzzled into his friend's chest and tried to swallow everything his friend gave though his head swam around and made him impossibly dizzy.

"Sleep now, ok? You'll get better soon enough. I know when you need hospital treatment. Sleep now. You need rest." He placed a palm on his friend's head, feeling it slightly warm, but not into a danger zone just yet. He'd have to continue monitoring him for the time being.

The dark eyed boy frowned and shook his head, not wanting to sleep after being out for so long. In his mind rest was a waste of his time.

"Please, Lawli. You're ill and underfed. You don't want to eat or sleep, but your body is telling you the opposite, at least where sleep is concerned. Rest your eyes at least." He kissed the top of his friend's head.  
>"Do that for me, please?"<p>

The elder did as told and slowly closed his eyes, taking a deep, raspy breath.

The younger raven kept a diligent watch, monitoring L's health and making sure nothing went into his personal red zone.

There was a little shiver and soft whimper. He was clearly becoming weaker from malnourishment.

Seeing this happen began to worry the red eyed raven. Knowing soup would not work on him, and knowing sweet foods are starting to have a different, slightly more positive effect on him, B decided to try a different approach. Since the candies were out of reach, B opted to try again feeding him jam, which would provide nutrition and satisfy the sweets craving. It was still half full, so he tilted the jar and stuck a couple fingers inside and prodded his mouth open to rub a little of the sweet on his tongue.

L gave a soft groan and then a small smile at the sweet taste and nuzzled into the younger chest, taking a deep and calming breath.

Smiling at this, he put more jam onto his finger and repeated the process, but making sure the last bit is swallowed first.

It was somewhere towards the end of the jar that the dark eyed raven fell asleep, seemingly becoming exhausted just from this.

"Good boy," he murmured silently with a smile, setting the jar aside and continuing to monitor his friend.

The elder male seemed to recover more and more by the moment, taking deep, slow breaths and the shivering stopping finally.

*I wonder what's going on in that mind of yours,* he wondered to himself.  
>*What sort of things do you see? Are they truly frightening? Can I protect you from them? Can I return the favor after you've done so much for me? Can we be happy together living in our nightmares? Will we get over our demons? Will you first, or will I?* He thought these absently while continuing his task at hand.<p>

L's next awakening would be only half an hour later when he would wake up with a scream from one of the usual nightmares that plagued his mind. He felt better physically which contradicted completely the sick feeling in his gut he got from the images his mind showed him.

As usual, B made sure nothing was wrong physically before speaking up.  
>"They can't hurt you Lawli, you know it. They do try hard and you let them win. It's good to see you are awake again. How do you feel?"<p>

"Better..." the boy mumbled and pulled himself up off of his friend slowly. He still didn't feel much like eating or going back to sleep yet his body was screaming for both.

"Better, but you're nowhere near functioning again. It's my fault, Lawli, and I'm sorry..." Guilt set in and he looked away.  
>"I made us ill and I feel bad for putting us both in this predicament."<p>

L put his hand on his friends shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, he tried to think of what to say, though words failed him as they always seemed to when it came to emotions. He only managed to get one simple thing out.  
>"You're worth every moment of it..."<p>

*Yeah... he'll say that now, but he'll tire of you...* B shook the thought away and managed a smile.  
>"I know, but I don't like to see you like this. I never did like seeing you like this."<p>

The dark eyed raven nodded slowly and bit his thumb.  
>"But this is who I am..."<p> 


	49. Cases 2

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 129

B wanted to say something at that... anything, but there was too much wasted words as there were words that meant a lot. In the end, he huffed out a sigh and rolled over, closing his eyes and willing himself to rest.

"You're going to sleep now?" The elder asked quietly and cast his gaze over the urn next to the bed, the site bringing a smile to his face.  
>"But I just woke..."<p>

"Yeah... well perhaps I'm just a little tired right now," he murmured.

*Hit him! Beat him! He deserves it! Do it! Do it now!* B shook the thoughts away and tried to rest his eyes.  
>"What do you think of the urn?" He murmured quietly, his voice only slightly strained.<p>

"It came out better then I had thought it would..." L mumbled.  
>"I had not expected it to have such beautiful colors..."<p>

"Yeah, it went above my expectations. You see those foxes? Those are the ones I see. Watari says that the caretakers are willing to keep it safe for Xi, but not in that exact context, mind you." He opened an eye and spotted the other jam jar. His stomach growled and he groaned, getting up to retrieve it.

"Are his ashes sealed inside already?" The elder asked curiously, it seemed obvious to him that they would be as it wouldn't make much sense to be sealed without them inside, but he wanted to make sure.

"No. Watari only received it the other day. The crematorium has not yet gotten back to us so we could put them inside." He nibbled away on his jam, making less noticeable breathy sounds as he satisfied his jam craving.

"Hopefully that won't take to long..." The dark eyed raven was quickly becoming rather tired of the routine of this place and the predictability of its criminals and police force.

"I want to get out of here. I can tell you do to. To actually have time to explore this place a little. The confinement is unbearable. I want to go outside, but I can't until we're both better."

L nodded slowly and sighed.  
>"This is the last thing we must do before we go and explore..." He would never admit it, but he was also getting a little home sick. The detective had never been away from A or his pets for this long and could only hope his dragon hadn't starved to death by now.<p>

"I hope that we can make a full recovery soon. You've given the tools the police can use for future crimes of this capacity. We would not be needed here." He gulped down his jam and then looked to his friend.

"What do you want to do now that you're awake?"

"Not sleep..." the elder explained, sitting back a little.  
>"I have done far too much of that already..."<p>

"I am aware of that. I've watched you sleep for over a day now. As far as I know, these cases here are still available for reviewing. Want to to that for entertainment until the crematorium calls?"

"Alright..." the elder mumbled and slowly crawled over his friend to reach for the files next to the bed. He looked like he would even get them for a moment but a sudden wave of lightheadedness caused him to crash down on top of his friend.

"Whoa there!" B caught his friend and motioned him back into a seated position before reaching for the files himself.  
>"Not quite there yet Lawli. Soon enough though." He did a double take before handing the files over.<p>

L frowned, but took the files, not wanting to admit that he was sick to his friend or to himself.

"We have an idea of what our OCD killer is all about, but what do we know about the chemical killer? Other than the autopsies done to the victims, next to nothing. Well no, we know this person is skilled with chemicals. Most likely a Science Major with some History and Mathematics thrown in there."

"He is using poison which indicates that he is both detached from the killings and/or does not want to get his hands dirty..." It was clear the dark eyed raven was at least a little depressed, his voice giving it away.

"Sounds like the killer is experimenting on the prey then... Seeing what effects the mixtures have and what ones should be utilized more."  
>*Sounds a lot like me, in fact. His are more synthetic, however.*<br>"Perhaps the chemical killer even has some traits similar to the OCD killer." He looked at his friend then and tilted his head.  
>"What's got you down, Lawli?"<p>

"I want to be well again..." L mumbled and looked out the window for a long moment before closing his eyes.

"You will be. We'll both recover and we'll both get out of here to experience Japan for what it is and then we can go back to Wammy's and share everything with A and be reunited with our pets."

The elder nodded and put his mind back to the task at hand.  
>"The main difference to these two is that the OCD killer is very passionate about what he does, bathing and dressing his victims again... The other does not want any such contact, seeking to have as little involvement as possible..."<p>

"Again, he's experimenting. He does not want to get his hands dirty if the next shot causes an unseen reaction. I imagine this person is in possession of safety gear and that the victims are unable to see the face. In fact... Let me look at the photograph of one of the victims and I'll try to figure out what transpired."

L pulled out the photos and examined them carefully.  
>"Three victims in total. The chemicals where delivered via a shot to the neck... Combat and stealth training of some kind?"<p>

"Military training...? Military background...? Perhaps our killer is aged between 25-47 with a strong military background. Perhaps maybe worked as a field surgeon for some time."

"Or as some kind of black ops..." the elder added quietly.

"Pretty top notch, then. Means he knows how to blend in, knows how to pick his victims. Or... has this military trained person lost his mind and is living in a fantasy where he's still picking targets and that these 'targets' are innocents? That's what it appears to be from where I stand."

"That seems very likely..." L bit his thumb in thought.  
>"Yes, a victim of the high stresses of military life now seeing his targets everywhere..."<p>

"He's intelligent if it is possibly Black Ops or something similar. He could be a challenge, but we're already dissecting him before we see him, so he's at a disadvantage here."

"I doubt he will be a challenge... it wouldn't be hard to search military records for the people in this area and I suspect he will be displaying symptoms of post traumatic stress..."

"We can look up psychologists who specialize in Military counselling and see if anything comes up. There's bound to be one person who turns up who used to attend, but discontinued for reasons unknown or just refused to attend anymore when his mind broke."

"Identifying this individual will be easy... it is cornering and capturing him that could provide a challenge..."

"Yes. His training and skills would put him at an advantage over the police. However, anticipating his movements should allow for us to find a means to expose him and take him down properly. Baiting is too dangerous; we'd need to figure out another method."

"Perhaps baiting is too dangerous, but luring him into a location where he can be taken down via means of a tranquilizer would be suitable..."

"Interesting, luring crossed my mind, but I didn't voice it. I could see how luring him would be effective. Time and location depends on the places he is seeking 'targets'." B nibbled his finger in thought for a moment.  
>"He likely chooses his target in a crowd, perhaps does a little background research before making his move."<p>

"I feel as though he thinks he is being given orders to target a certain person... We can take advantage of this delusion by broadcasting a subliminal hint to find a target at a certain place..."

"Once he gets the message, it's only a matter of him showing up and timing the ambush." He looks at the file and smirks.  
>"That was fun. I think it will work. Any details and such, we just have to wait it out."<p> 


	50. Illness 4

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 130

L nods and a small smile creeps onto his face once more. For some reason this kind of brain storming always made him feel at least a little better.

"I think I may tamper in the criminal field somewhat. It's interesting and I can tell you get a rush out of it." He smiles and looks to the door and back.  
>"Watari should be on his way back with an update on the Crematorium soon."<p>

"I hope so..." the elder mumbled, closing his eyes for a long moment.

B pulled his friend into a short hug.  
>"It will be over soon Lawli... We'll be out of here and won't have to worry too much for some time."<p>

The dark eyed raven took a deep breath and lay his head down on his friend's shoulder, handing the files back to him.

The younger takes the files and sets them aside before holding his friend's head and slowly petting his hair.  
>"I love you Lawli," he murmured quietly.<p>

"I love you to..." L repeated back slowly, his breathing beginning to slow as he relaxed more.

*You can't fight it Lawli. If you want to stay awake, fight harder.* He continued his attentions, watching with slight amusement at his friend seemingly fighting and losing against sleep.

The elder begun to wriggle about a little, knowing that being so still was sending him off into unconsciousness.

"We need to spar when we get better. We haven't had a decent spar in some time." B looked to his friend and raised a brow.  
>"You're going to have to keep fighting harder if you want to stay alert."<p>

There was no reply from the elder, far too tired and hungry now to voice his frustrations on how hard it was to stay awake.

B set his friend down onto the bed and left the room then, seeking out their father's room where he looked and found some rice and chicken set out to cook. He turned and left, returning to the bedroom and looking at his friend filled with contradicting feelings.

"What are you looking for?" L asked quietly after a long moment, listening to the sound of the rain outside.

"Nothing..." He huffed out a sigh and looked at the window, hearing the odd thunderclap and seeing the city in wetness.  
>"I'm just as bored as you are... I feel contained, quarantined, trapped, caged..."<p>

Slowly the elder got to his feet and stumbled over to the drawers on the other side of the room, collapsing to his knees before he gets the whole way.

B looked when he heard the thud and frowned.  
>"What are you doing, Lawli," he inquired after a short silence.<p>

"Trying to get to my sketch book..." he replied, still reaching for the drawer.

"Do you want to keep trying? Or would you like me to get it for you instead?"

L didn't hear his friend, too focused on the task at hand to even pay attention.

B only scoffed lightly and returned his gaze back outside before opening the window and reaching outside to feel the rain on his arm.

Once the book and pens where finally in his grasp the detective looked over to the window to see his friend standing there.  
>"You should close it before we both get sick..."<p>

"We're already sick as it is... I am seriously bored..." He huffed out a sigh and closed the window before looking to his friend and quirking a brow. He sat himself on another spot and stared off into space, eyes losing their focus on the things ahead of him.

L begun his drawing then and there, carefully and precisely measure's each angle and line he put down. Slowly the room, the bed and his friend started to take shape. Even the rain pattering on the window.

The younger continued to stare at nothing ahead.  
>*What sort of things can I do to H's body? What if I stretched him medieval style? What would I do after that? What if I gagged him? No, his voice deserves to be heard, his shame and un-victory need to be heard. Would I cut him a little at a time? Would I hack off a limb to show him how serious I am?*<p>

The sketching continued for a long time, capturing the slow darkening of his friends features over time as his thoughts became darker.

B's face twitched into a slight smile as he lost himself to the darker workings, but he'd have no memory of it.

Both of their individual workings where broken when the door was opened revealing their adopted father peddling in a tray of food.

B looked at their father with a somewhat blank expression before the darker inner thoughts faded from memory.  
>"Watari. It's good to see you again. Has the crematorium prepared Xi's ashes yet?"<br>"Yes. The body is still being prepared. I can bring the urn with me in the morning for filling and sealing. Afterwards, if you'd like, we can have it blessed and brought to the shrine you are so fond of."  
>"I like the sound of that Watari, thank you." He offered a small smile in thanks before looking at what was offered.<p>

L did not look interested and in fact was looking far more sickly then before, sitting on the floor by himself and looking up at their father with eyes that refused to focus.

The younger regarded his friend for a few moments before looking back at their father.  
>"He's been getting worse. He still refuses to eat. I'm getting worried about him. The only thing he had since waking up was jam, but that's about it."<br>"Is that so? L, are you able to eat anything at all?" He approached the older raven and leaned down, placing a hand to warm skin.  
>"This is most alarming. Why have you not warned me of this sooner, Beyond?"<br>"I wanted him to have a chance to fight off his illness. He's denying it to himself."

"I am alright Watari." The dark eyed raven mumbled and swatted away his fathers hand weakly.  
>"I simply need a little more rest..."<p>

"You complained about that before Lawli. You need to eat something and then get more rest. You're not going to get any better that way."  
>"How long has this been going on?"<br>"Since you were here last, when you brought me jam. I tried feeding him the soup you brought, but he hardly touched it. I gave him half a jar of jam before he fell asleep again. We've hardly spoken a word to each other since then."

There was a quiet sigh and the detective slowly pulled himself to his feet, clearly becoming exhausted from just that. His skin was hot and there where small beads of sweat forming as he trotted over to the bed, only to collapse half way again.

B moved swiftly and caught his friend before helping him the rest of the way.  
>"I know you're going to be against this L, but I'm going to have to request medical assistance with you this time. It's going to assure you will be getting the fluids and rest you need."<br>"No, I'll help him with that. I can cool him off and use juice until he improves before feeding him when he's ready to eat again."  
>"I would feel better if he got proper care."<br>"Send one over here, then? I don't want to be inside a hospital, Watari. I don't."

"I won't go..." L mumbled.  
>"I won't go if Beyond isn't beside me..."<p>

"Please?" B looked at their father with wide, imploring eyes until there was a sigh.  
>"Alright you two. Give me a few minutes and I'll get back to you." He disappeared from the room then. B held onto his friend for a while longer before settling him down on the bed to get a rag and cover it with cold water and returning, removing his shirt carefully and dabbing the cold cloth over heated skin.<p> 


	51. Illness 5

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 131

The cold to L was almost painful and he gave a quiet hiss. His body was telling him he was cold even though it was burning up and all he wanted to do was curl up under the blankets.

The younger kept up the task even when Watari returned some time later.  
>"They are going to send in a doctor here to monitor your health until you've recovered fully. I still would prefer you to be in hospital, however."<br>"I'm not going anywhere near a hospital again Watari. I don't want to be separated from him." He flipped the cloth over and continued the task.

Another soft hiss escaped followed by a helpless whimper.  
>"Stop..." the dark eyed raven almost begged, "it's cold..."<p>

"It's supposed to be cold. You're getting warmer. This is going to help you, like it or not." He continued until the cloth had warmed. Only then did he stop, disappearing to wet the cloth and return to continue the task.  
>"When will the doctor be here?"<br>"Soon enough. I will stick around until the doctor leaves again."

"I don't need this..." This time L actually resisted, trying to push away his friend now that it was starting to cause so much discomfort.

B held on tight, positioning the older until he was between his legs and wrapping his legs across the other's waist, pinning him.  
>"I'm not going to stop Lawli," he said, continuing the task.<p>

The struggle made the dark eyed raven dangerously tired and weak. After a few moments he fell limp, panting heavily and struggling to get enough oxygen into his lungs.

Red eyes looked to the door and to his father before settling on his friend, watching his hands dab a cool cloth over skin. He knew his father was looking at them both with concern, but until he was satisfied that his friend was cool enough, he would choose to ignore him for now. He focused on the hot spots until the cloth became warm again. Only then did he stop at last, but not covering them.

There where sad whines from L now as his chest continued to heave. He couldn't catch his breath as hard as he tried and it was getting harder and harder to deny that he wasn't sick.

Hearing this, B started to rub the older raven's chest to encourage more normal breathing as it had been done to him in the past. He knew what to do if his friend should outright stop breathing altogether. He only hoped that would not happen anytime soon, but he was prepared.  
>"That doctor better get here soon, Watari, you see how he is right now..."<p>

The elder was looking up into his friend's eyes when something frightening happens. The elders grey eyes dulled, losing focus altogether. It was only slight, but Beyond could see the change immediately.

"No..." He acted quickly, removing his grip and maneuvering the raven onto his back before putting his ears to the older's mouth, not hearing breath. He tilted the head until the airway was accessible before breathing into his mouth, watching the chest rise. He repeated this and listened again.  
>"Come back Lawli," he pleaded, feeling tears stinging his eyes. He listened again and repeated the process.<p>

L was visibly fighting, trying to get air into his lungs himself, but the gasps were becoming weaker and weaker.

The younger would continue this until he sensed the breaths stop altogether from his friend's end.  
>"No Lawli... Don't stop!" He doubled his efforts then. Thankfully, the doctor the hospital sent arrived and assessed the situation.<p>

It wasn't hard to see the elder raven was fading now, the little physical responses he was giving to his friends voice seemed stop all at once and he lost what little consciousness he was holding onto.  
>"Alright your doing good, keep going," the doctor assured B, trying to work out what had happened to the other boy and how best to bring him back.<p>

B continued breathing for his friend, now listening for a heartbeat, hearing it faint, but still there. Tears fell and he continued.  
>"Don't leave me behind... Don't leave me alone here..." He whispered this between breaths. Watari spoke up then to fill in the doctor.<br>"My son's health has been steadily declining. He's been refusing any help from my other son and myself. He's gotten to this state due to his being stubborn and denying himself the help he needs."

"I can give emergency fluids and incubate him as he is clearly dehydrated, unconscious and no longer able to breath on his own, but there's no guarantee he will come back from this..."

B looked and glared hard with teary eyes at the doctor then.  
>"He has to! He's not allowed to leave me behind! Bring him back!" He returned to his efforts then, feeling sobs threatening to take over him with every shake of his shoulders.<p>

The doctor quickly set about injecting the boy with sugar filled fluids to try and bring his energy levels back up, letting the boy breath for his friend for the moment.  
>"Alright do you know how this works?" the doctor asked.<br>"I'm going to have to put this tube down his throat and into his lungs so we can breath for him alright?"

B whimpered unconsciously at the memory of a similar device, but nodded.  
>"I had something similar in me before..." His breath shuddered and allowed the doctor access.<p>

Not having his friend to breath for him, L's chest sunk and didn't rise again this time.

"Please hurry..." B pleaded, barely stopping a sob from escaping. He wanted to go back to his task, but the breathing tube was already being wormed into the throat.

"I'm doing my best..." the doctor explained and quickly attacked the bag to the end and gave it a test squeeze to see it make the boy's chest rise once more.

The younger raven breathed a sigh of relief at seeing the small rise.  
>"Can I take over, please?" He didn't for an answer and reached out for it.<br>"What else needs to be done?" he asked while he waited.

The doctor handed the bag to the other boy and quickly examined his body.  
>"He has a fever, but its not to bad; most likely very uncomfortable, but not an immediate threat to his life," he explained.<br>"What he needs the most is fluids as I am sure the rapid collapse in his condition is linked mostly to dehydration, the weakness allowing for some kind of bug to take hold that normally wouldn't be a problem for his immune system..."

"He's stubborn... he would have continued to deny it until he died... He's a fool if he thinks he can abandon me. He'd be breaking his promise..." He continued to squeeze the bag when a traitor thought invaded his mind.  
>*Punish him. Stop squeezing the bag. He'll know how serious you are!* B shook the thought away and kept up the task.<p>

"I can assure you your brother did not do this on purpose... there are many mental instabilities that can cause this kind of self punishment and denial..."

"I'm not going to ask, because I've dealt with this enough times and I'm not about to ask something that may hurt him to bring up again." He teared up again and frowned, but refusing to let his emotions get the better of him. He needed to be strong for his friend. He could not let his emotions win.

The doctor checked the boys pulse again, finding it to be dangerously weak.  
>"My suggestion to you is that you let me go get medicine and come back. I'll do my best to bring him back, but it doesn't look good at the moment... It may simply be to late... If I can stabilize him you should take him home and allow him to recover before seeking some kind of therapy... possibly drug treatment for the insomnia..."<p>

"He'll live... He's not allowed to die on me... I'll make sure of this." He listened some more before speaking again.  
>"Home is too far and he's never slept longer for more than 2 hours. This is something he's not used to. If he was coherent, he'd tell you that himself, so I'm speaking up for him."<p>

"Even so, with these kind of symptoms he must have gone days without sleep... even if he has been sleeping recently from the exhaustion it would have been difficult and broken... All of this I feel is from emotional stress, and home, though far, really is the best place for him..."


	52. Illness 6

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 132

B frowned, this time in a mixture of frustration, denial and defeat.  
>"Lawli is not going to like it at all... He never shows it, but I can tell when he's upset about something. Home has nothing to offer us, only misery and hate from everyone else. This trip was for him to hone his skills. This is a reprieve from that life..."<p>

"Well you will have time to consider all your options... For now I must go get more medicine for him. I would like him to be in the hospital, but moving him now would be dangerous and you have already expressed your need to remain here... I will be back as soon as I can."

The younger raven nodded and continued his task at hand.  
>"You should have accepted the help Lawli... Why would you do that? Why would you hurt yourself? I don't know what goes on in your head, but this... this hurts me a lot... We sacrifice many things, but this... You've gone too far..." He huffed out a sigh and kept up the task.<p>

The doctor disappeared once more to leave the three alone once more, each hoping that he would return before their beloved raven's heart stopped beating.  
>"You shouldn't say things like that Beyond... if he can hear you, which I believe he can, you don't want to upset him..." Watari explained.<br>"Besides... I don't believe he could help it..."

"He knows I'm not going to lie about this. I've not lied to him once. I have no reason to lie. The truth hurts, but at least he knows what I'm feeling about the situation. Whether or not he can help it, it still hurts to see him do this to himself."

There was a slight flickering of the other boy's eyes and an attempted breath rather suddenly which captured both of the rooms other ocuppant's attentions.

Red eyes looked down, but B didn't stop. He didn't want to stop so soon and have his friend go under.  
>"Lawli..." he whispered, "If you can show me some sign you are listening, I will try to let you breath on your own."<p>

L's eyes opened half way and gazed up at his friend who to him looked like nothing more then a bright blurry mass. The rooms harsh lights burned his eyes and he tried to put his hand up to shield them though only managed to make his arm twitch.

Reading his friend's face only, he looked to Watari then.  
>"Can you turn off or dim the lights somehow? They are hurting him."<p>

Soon the lights where dimmed half way which didn't seem quite so painful to the sick raven and let him focus on his friend a little better. He tried to breath again but his chest just seemed to heave uselessly.

B was glad he didn't let his friend try so soon. He continued to let the bag be his lungs.  
>"Hey Lawli... The doctor is going to be coming back. We almost lost you there..."<p>

Seeing his friends distress he tried to sit up, but didn't get very far and only succeeded in draining himself even more. He was clearly trying to breath, becoming more and more upset as he couldn't.

"Just rest, don't move and drain yourself unnecessarily. I'm letting this breath for you until you can do so on your own." He reached down and ran a hand through his hair reassuringly as he kept up this task.

L gave an expression that only Beyond understood, it was a silent apology as he closed his eyes and leaned into his friend's touch.

*It's ok, dearest. I forgive you.*  
>"I love you Lawli..." He whispered silently enough that Watari could not hear him. He leaned down and gave an innocent kiss to his forehead and gave a small smile. It was a sign to let the other know of his apology being accepted.<p>

There was another shuddering gasp and this time the dark eyed raven managed to suck in a breath of air though didn't have the strength for a second attempt.

The younger raven kept up his efforts until the doctor returned.  
>"He's trying really hard to breath on his own, but he's struggling and draining himself in the process. I've not given up on him. I don't intend to give up on him until he's talking to me again."<p>

L was rather more frightened of the doctor then he was of his friend and looked up at B for support as he tried once more to breath.

"You're ok Lawli. Nothing bad will happen. It's ok." He ran a hand through his hair and didn't stop petting as a means to calm him down.

The doctor took a long, thick gauge needle and pushed it into the boys stomach. If L could have he would have screamed from the pain, but the tube in his throat and the inability to breath stopped him.

"What is that thing?" He wanted to pull it out, but he knew the damage would be worse. The contorted features of his friend confirmed this as much.  
>"You're hurting him!"<p>

"I needed to put this injection into his stomach to be absorbed quicker... it is painful but it will help him recover..." The doctor assured him, squeezing down on the plunger which only served to cause the elder more agony. He resisted holding his chest tight and not allowing B to assist his breathing just from the intensity of it.

"I know it hurts, but you have to be strong. It's going to be alright, I promise." He reached for his hand and let him grip it.  
>*Be strong my dearest, it will be over soon. Just hang on.*<p>

After what to L felt like an eternity the needle was removed, leaving only a dull yet still painful throbbing sensation.  
>"I'm sorry about that... I find warning people makes them tense and it hurts all the more."<br>The sickly boy tried to breath again, sucking in little gasp of air before his chest fell still again.

*Anticipation makes it worse... Interesting...*  
>"He's weak enough as it is. He's in bad shape. He doesn't need this extra hurt on him..." He continued the task, lightly glaring at the doctor and returning his gaze to his friend.<br>"Hang on Lawli, it's ok..."

"The fear of the needle can be much worse then the needle itself... I know thats hard to understand, but its very true for most people..." The doctor thought for a long moment then gave a soft sigh.  
>"If we remove the tube there is a good chance that without assistance he will breath unaided, it may be what's holding him back now..."<p>

"What if it isn't and his breathing fails on him? I'm not willing to take that chance." He kept up his efforts, looking conflicted, above all, worried about what would happen.

"Then we simply put the tube back in." Watari too looked conflicted, knowing that it was very uncomfortable to begin with let alone having it removed and then put back in.

"It's going to hurt him if we do that. It will be worse if we force it back in. It's happened to me before. I don't want that to happen to him. I don't want to hurt him like that." He looked down and implored with his eyes, silently asking for permission.

L looked frightened at first but soon relaxed in acceptance of whatever his friend would chose for him. He knew Beyond would take care of him no matter what happened and that thought was the greatest comfort.

"He says it's ok... Don't hurt him though... He doesn't need any more pain..." He handed the bag over and stood by his friend, holding his hand and petting his hair.

Slowly the doctor removed the tube, making L scrunch up his face uncomfortably. A few moments went by when the elder couldn't get his lungs to work, but eventually he gave a few crackling gasps followed by uneven, painful sounding, but still steady raspy breaths.

B held his breath, unsure how long it would last, but hoping that fate would favor his friend.  
>"You can do it Lawli. You're strong. You'll be safe again, I promise..."<p> 


	53. Illness 7

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 133

The dark eyed boy gripped his friends hand as he fought for every breath though slowly it seemed to become easier and easier until it fell into a natural rhythm.

The younger raven leaned down and placed an innocent kiss on his forehead when things were steadily improving.  
>"Good job, Lawli... I'm proud of you."<br>*Thanks for not letting today be his day...*

There was a little smile from the weaker raven and he slowly closed his eyes, falling asleep completely as a drip was set up to deliver more fluids to his body.

The younger pulled up a chair next to his friend and had a grip on his hand, keeping all his attention on the older, resting his chin on a hand and staying vigilant.  
>"I love you Lawli," he whispered breathlessly, staying unheard to prying ears.<br>"I love you so much..."

Watari moved to put a hand on his younger sons shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.  
>"When he is well enough to travel I have decided I will let you stay with me in my home as long as it does not effect your study's and you return to Wammy's with me each day for the classes you are still taking..."<p>

"Thank you Watari..." He nuzzled L's hand and smiled softly.  
>"Did you hear that, Lawli? We can go home with Watari." He nuzzled the hand again and ran a hand through his thick locks.<p>

"If it really is stress that causes some of his more unusual and damaging mental health issues, then I feel the first step in treating him should be to change his environment, and I am sure it would benefit you as well..."

"We're young men. We are more than capable of helping around the home. I don't mind helping out. I know it will be better." B rested his head then and closed his eyes, drifting into a dreamless sleep.

The elder of the two boys slept far more peacefully this time, not twitching or wriggling about at all. When he slowly woke the next morning he felt almost like he was better already despite still being weak.

The younger was still holding onto his hand and still rested silently. He would remain this day for a short while before red eyes opened slowly, taking in the sight before him and smiling.  
>"Lawli... It's good to see you."<p>

"B-Beyond..." the elder rasped and smiled back, looking and sounding far worse then he felt for once.  
>"You're strong Lawli. Thanks for not giving up." He smiled and nuzzled L's hand and placed a tender kiss there.<br>"I hope you can eat soon. I don't want you fading on me, alright?"

L nodded slowly and took a deep breath, looking down at his badly bruised stomach from the needle.  
>"I'm sorry... I just can't eat or sleep when I'm sad..."<p>

"Is that why when I was recovery? Lawli... I don't want you to be sad when I'm in recovery or anytime when something positive is happening." He stood up and gently hugged the older raven's side, careful not to damage his friend.  
>"I worry about you when you're not eating or sleeping."<p>

"It's not that I want to... I just can't..." the panda eyed raven mumbled softly.  
>"I'm too worried that something bad will happen to you... I have had to see you so sick so many times and I... I'm always scared I'll lose you..."<p>

"I'm sorry then for being unwell all those times. I know you can't help it, but it still hurts to see you like that. I care about you too much to see you like that." He carefully nuzzled a neck and held onto his friend.  
>"I'm still here Lawli. Be thankful for every time, ok?"<p>

"Alright..." the young detective bit back a sob and held onto his friend, monetarily getting the IV line still stuck into his arm tangled.

"I'll always love you Lawli..." he whispered into the older's ear.  
>"I'll never stop loving you..." He returned his nuzzling, untangling the line when he saw what happened to it.<p>

"I love you too," L whispered back just as the doctor entered the room again, earning a slight glare. He had caused him a lot of pain the night before even if it was to save his life.

Red eyes looked to the door when he heard the door open, giving a similar glare and pulling the older closer to him protectively.  
>"Thanks for helping him. Is there anything he should do for short term treatment until he gets better?"<p>

"A warm relaxed environment with plenty of fluids and minimal exercise." the doctor stated bluntly.  
>"Bed rest if at all possible... for at least a week..."<p>

Not a promising thing to either raven, and B knew this. He nodded anyway and offered a small smile.  
>"Rest assured, he'll be fine. Thank you again."<p>

"I know this holiday is a big event for you, your adopted father explains this to me. However, I must ask that for your own health you cut it a little short and return home to make a swifter recovery... I have seen people in much better condition then he was last night not survive..."

"Watari has final say on the matter, I'm afraid. If he feels that's the best course of action, I'm not going to argue with him..."

L's expression saddened dramatically and he looked down at his hands in defeat. He had ruined their whole trip for them and it would be very hard to forgive himself.

"Hey Lawli... don't beat yourself up," B stated after looking his way and seeing him distraught.  
>"It's no one's fault, alright? If anything, It's my fault for making us ill. Don't hurt yourself, please?"<p>

"I'm sorry..." The dark eyed raven mumbled, pain evident in his voice.  
>"Can we cuddle... please?"<p>

The younger nodded, then mentally assessed how it would work with his friend's side sore. He walked around and crawled in, holding the un-bruised side against him and holding him from the back.  
>"Don't hurt yourself, alright? It's not your fault." He smiled and nuzzled his neck.<p>

"I wanted to see Japan with you..." was all that was whispered back before their adopted father walked in.  
>"Are your boys always this... affectionate?" The doctor asked curiously.<p>

"They have a very strong bond. My youngest son has used the neck area as a place he calms down the most. It's always been like this..." That was all he could say on the matter, despite his slowly growing self doubt.

"I suppose it is nice to have someone to care for you so..." the doctor replied and handed the boys father a folder containing all the information he would need along with the bill, which, surprisingly was not as high as Beyond's.

"Thank you. Sorry for any minor inconveniences that might have been there..." This earned a small glare from B who returned to nuzzling L's neck and closing his eyes.

"Not at all, I am glad to see he is recovering well..." with that the now slightly less welcome doctor made his leave.  
>"My side still hurts..."<p>

"It will hurt for some time, but your healing and immunity is strong. You'll be better in no time." He opened his eyes and looked sadly to their father.  
>"How soon did you plan on going back? Can we visit the shrine together at least?"<p>

"We will leave once you have seen your other friend off..." the elderly gentlemen gave his sons a sad smile.  
>"Don't worry, the urn is being taken care of as we speak."<p> 


	54. Illness 8

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 134

B frowned and nuzzled more into the older's neck.  
>"Sorry dearest," he whispered softly, placing the softest of kisses there.<p>

"I don't want to go home Watari..." the elder pleaded with his adopted father even though he knew that Watari would never back down from his position on this.

"I'm truly sorry, but I'm afraid not. All relevant paperwork for the two cases will go to the police along with an explanation for your absence. I'm sorry again, but this is my decision on the matter." B looked saddened and gave his friend's shoulder a gentle squeeze.  
>"There will be another time Lawli. No worries, alright?"<p>

"But I don't want to go back and deal with H and Roger..." he admitted quietly.  
>"I miss A, Bear, our little walking fish and the little dragons, but I don't want to go back to that place..."<p>

"Watari is going to take us away from Roger, H and all the bad things, Lawli. He's going to take us into his home for good." He hoped that it would lift his spirits up some.

Hearing this, L did feel a little better and even managed a small smile. To him, being able to go home with Watari meant the world to them.

The younger smiled and pulled him closer.  
>"It will be fine Lawli. We'll be safe."<p>

The tired looking raven nodded slowly and leaned into his friend, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"Watari..." he said after a comfortable silence, "thank you. This trip didn't last as long as any of us would have liked, but it was the best trip I've ever had. It was worth it."

There was another small nod of agreement from the tired panda before he fell asleep against his friend.

B looked down and smiled before rubbing two fingers under his friend's throat, wanting to hear him purr.

It took a moment, but the young detective did just that, leaning into his friends touch.

This only made the younger smile wider and keep it up, loving every sound the young detective made.  
>"Watari, what do you think Lawli would benefit from eating until his bruise is healed?"<p>

"According to the doctor's instructions, he is to drink at least half a glass of some form of energy milkshake every hour for the next day and then to begin eating slowly on foods that are unlikely to upset his stomach..."

"Milkshakes are no problem. Lawli loves those. He'll have no complaints there. As for solids, he may be a little more picky about those. You know how he is." He continued to pet his friend's throat, relishing every purr that escaped.

"I plan to make him some sweet, sticky rice." Their adopted father stated as he watched his two boys interact.

"Perhaps a rice pudding would be better? It's still not quite a solid, but he will not have issues swallowing the rice if it were sticky. Rice pudding is also sweet. I want some now... haven't had it in a while."

The tired looking gentlemen gave a small smile and a nod.  
>"Alright, I will be sure to get you both some then." He was slightly curious about what the two boys where doing and what the significant of it all was to the younger.<br>"I know it is not my business, but I must ask what you are doing my boy?"

"I'm petting Lawli's throat and making him purr. Lawli's mannerisms are very feline. I don't remember how I found this out, but it's nothing bad, I assure you. He likes it." He petted slightly harder, earning him a deeper purr.  
>"See what I mean? It's fun to do."<p>

Watari ran his fingers through his hair in thought. Beyond wasn't doing anything he could scold at, so he decided not to say anything further on the subject.  
>"Take care of him until I return with milkshakes alright?"<p>

"He's in good hands." He returned his focus to his friend and continued laving the older raven's throat with affectionate attention.

When Watari returned a little over an hour later, he carried with him the sealed urn and a tray of food for his youngest son with a milkshake for the older.

"Lawli," he whispered, gently shaking his friend awake.  
>"Lawli, you have something to eat. Wake up sleepy head." He looked at the urn and saw it was sealed, knowing what was inside.<p>

L gave a soft groan and attempted to swat his friend away before opening his eyes. He was still tired and for once only wanted to go back to sleep.

"You need nourishment Lawli. You can sleep when you're done, alright?" He nuzzled the older raven's neck and motioned for the food and shake.  
>"Thank you Watari."<p>

The urn was once more placed on the nightstand before the tray of food was set in front of them though only one of them would eat it.  
>"Now, I don't want you to repeat his foolish behavior and I expect you to eat everything on the plate."<p>

"Foolish behavior, Watari? I don't know what you are talking about." He took the shake and put it to the older raven's mouth.  
>"Here you go. Drink up."<p>

"Nearly starving yourself to death doesn't seem the least bit foolish to you?" L's expression saddened slightly at his adopted father's harsh words, however they rang true.

"Don't hurt him like that. It's not his fault..." He took the straw that was there and once again implored his friend to take a drink.  
>"He does that because he's worried and sad. It's something he has no control over..." He pulled the older closer and wrapped an arm around him protectively.<br>"I'll eat... don't worry..."

There was a moment of hesitation from the dark eyed raven before he took the straw in his mouth and begun to drink slowly, not managing to get much in before his stomach became quite painful and he stopped.

"We'll do this slowly then. I will not rush you." He petted the older until all signs of pain left before he would gently coax more into his stomach.  
>"I know it hurts. I know it hurts bad, but this is supposed to help you out for now." For the time being, B didn't touch his food or look at it until he was certain his friend had enough.<p>

L managed to drink a little more before turning the drink away completely. He did drink half of it however which would be enough.  
>"Thank you Beyond..." L almost whispered, laying back in the pillows once more.<p>

"You're welcome. Rest now, it's ok." He finally turned his attention to his food and began to slowly pick away at it.

"The urn..." the elder commented, looking over at it from his spot in amongst the pillows.  
>"I want to take it to the temple with you..."<p>

"We can when you're feeling a little better." He smiled petted his friend before turning his attention back to the food he was picking apart slowly. He nibbled away at it until less than half was gone and turning the food away.

This action frustrated there elderly father.  
>"You must eat everything Beyond."<p>

"I'm not that hungry at the moment Watari..." He looked at the food for a long time before he had another hallucination of it as something grotesque. His stomach churned and he paled, pushing the plate away farther.


	55. Xi 5

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

Part 135

Seeing his friend's distress and immediately knowing the problem, L reached up and took his friend by the sleeve, pulling him down into a warm embrace.  
>"Beyond would have finished had you not made enough for two people..." the dark eyed raven defended.<br>"You know we do not eat that much..."

The younger took a few deep breaths to shake the image, trying his hardest not to throw up on the spot.

Again his friend tightened his hold on the other boy as much as his strength would allow.

Try as he might, he could not shake it, freeing himself from his friend's grip and running into the bathroom where he emptied his guts, shaking hard from the act.

Ignoring the confused expression of their adopted father, L slowly got up, ripping out the IV line and staggering to his friend, flopping on the ground beside him and slowly rubbing his back.

"L-Lawli... urgh..." He threw up more and fell to the floor, curling in on himself and taking several hard breaths.  
>"N-no... You need... bed..." It was all he could manage before bile came out.<p>

L laid down next to his friend, rolling him on his side and putting his arm under the other boys head. He ignored the vomit getting on his sleeve for now in favor of pulling the other closer.  
>"I'm alright..."<p>

"N-no... Bed..." He was shaking from emptying his guts and was too weak to do much.  
>"Rats... guts... eating... why...?"<p>

"I don't know..." The elder mumbled and ran his fingers through the boys hair slowly.

"Sorry..." he frowned and sniffled lightly.  
>"Don't want... I d-don't want to see this..."<p>

"It's alright..." the elder assured him.  
>"It will pass..."<p>

The younger lay in silence, ignoring the fact that their father was looking over them with concern. What exactly transpired in his younger son's mind that caused him to react in this way?

L waited for his friend to calm down and stop shivering before helping him sit up.  
>"Are you alright?"<p>

"Y-yeah... I think so... Sorry Lawli... It was too vivid... I couldn't shake it..." He slowly stood up on shaky legs and helped his friend do the same. He walked slowly back to the bed, leading his friend and crawling back inside the covers, holding his friend close and nuzzling his neck.

"It's alright." The eyed raven repeated and closed his eyes, trying now to keep himself awake for his friend.

"Rest... I'll be ok... I'll rest with you..." He didn't remove his face from it's location and took a few breaths, letting himself calm down farther.

Reluctantly L obeyed, closing his eyes and falling into a deep sleep within only a few moments.

B followed not long after, drifting into a dreamless sleep that lasted for some time.

The entire day went by in a blur for the detective. He was woken up every hour to drink more, but other than that he couldn't remember doing anything he would consider of value which is why the next morning he was determined to visit the shrine before they left later that afternoon no matter what anyone said.  
>"Can we go now?" he asked, pulling on warm clothes after hopping out of the shower.<br>"I feel much better, really..."

"If you feel you are, then yes we can go." B was already dressed and cleaned, having taken one before his friend. He had the urn in his hands and had a somewhat sad smile on his face, but he hoped to visit his friend one last time before they would take their leave.

"Do you think you will ever see them again?" the elder asked quietly, fighting with his pull over which had somehow become a maze and wound up with his head inside a very tight arm sleeve.

The younger set the urn down and helped him with the rest of it.  
>"I hope so, maybe one day, or if I train myself some more in meditation. He was really like one of us, only younger. He was like... like... me..." He frowned slightly and picked up the urn and held it to his chest protectively.<p>

L noticed the sad expression in his friend's face and pulled him into a warm hug for a moment.  
>"He is better off where he is now..."<p>

"I know he is... He's saved from a life of hurt. He never had anyone else who cared. I cared and I would have saved him. I almost saved him... He's happy though, and I'm not going to interfere with that." He leaned into the embrace and nuzzled his neck for a moment before parting.  
>"Let's go and see him one last time then, alright?"<p>

The dark eyed raven smiled and took his friend by the hand. He was still a little shaky and sickly, but it wasn't going to stop him and they both knew that.

B walked out with his friend and made sure to use an umbrella for the weather outside, keeping them both dry at least.

"Did you want to walk there?" He asked, hesitant and shielding his eyes from the crowd of people.  
>"If I were to ask Watari to take us then I am sure he would worry and limit my time outside..."<p>

"He'd worry regardless. Let us go before he changes his mind..." With that, he led his friend slowly, squinting and diverting his gaze from the crowd.

They managed to make it through the sea of Kanji without too much trouble, finding their usual place inside the shrine, setting the urn down at the feet of one of the foxes.

"I'll try not to take too long. Don't let Watari wake me up, alright?" He handed the umbrella over and knelt down, calming himself and letting himself visit the familiar place once more.

For once the two foxes seemed to be sitting still, curled up tightly around each other with there tails around their eyes. It appeared as though they where sleeping though Beyond wasn't sure if spirits could sleep.

B looked down and saw the urn was still in his grasp and he smiled. He stood up and walked carefully forward before kneeling again.  
>"Hello?" He didn't want to disturb them, but being as this was his last day here, he would not get another chance at a proper goodbye.<p>

Both of the creatures ears pricked up and they both moved there tails away to see what had disturbed their sleep.  
>"Oh it's you Beyond..." the red mumbled, getting to her feet and stretching out. The boy could see that his canine friends were busy playing hide and seak as Chu had his nose to the ground, looking desperately for his friend whose tail was sticking out behind a statue.<p>

"I'm here to say goodbye... Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to go back to Winchester and cut the trip short." He gave a sad smile then and held the urn closer to himself, as if not willing to part with it, but knowing it was best.

Xi jumped forward from behind the statue and bounded up to him after hearing this.  
>"You're going? Already?"<p>

"I'm sorry, but it's true Xi. You're my little brother and I want you to make me proud and follow your training until you're a full guardian, ok?" He showed the urn to the pup then.

"I made this for you and I'm going to leave it here as my gift to you. It's going to stay here and stay safe, alright?"


	56. Xi 6

Disclaimer and such in Part 75

A/N: This is the end of the second part to the Beyond Reason series. The next segment in the series will begin with new parts. Do continue to read on if you are interested. Thank you wonderful people and anons who have reviewed so far. They are loved and welcomed and we are glad you are enjoying this tale as it unfolds. Until the next segment, take care!

Part 136

The little canine's blue eyes fixed on the urn for a long moment before giving a sad puppy whine and trying to bounce into the raven's arms.  
>"I'll miss you... I k-knew you would have to go since the day your friend came in here distraught... I tried to guide him... I really did..."<p>

The younger raven gave a sad smile and pulled him into a hug and petting his head.  
>"Thank you Xi. I would not have lasted if you didn't help him. I knew he would not have found me under any other circumstances." His frown grew and a tear fell.<br>"I'll miss you too Xi. I will not forget you. I'll see you again if I come back here again. If not, I'll see you when I'm a spirit, I promise."

"When I get a place for me and Chu to guard I want you to bring your friend there alright? I want to be the one to protect him... please?"

"Lawli is destined to a different realm that I can't access right away. I promise that when we can share this place, I will bring him to see you. If he lets you, you may protect him, but I want that responsibility. He's my closest personal friend and I love him a lot."

"'Lawli' will be like Chu though..." The little animal looked back at his dog with a saddened expression.  
>"If he isn't in a safe place then the corrupted things outside could get him..."<p>

"Alright, only when you're a full guardian. Thank you so much. You're a great little brother and I love you, alright? You'll always be my little brother. Unfortunately, I have to go now." He gave his friend one final hug and sniffled.  
>"You be a good spirit, ok? We'll see each other again one day."<p>

"I promise..." Xi whispered, cuddling into his friend for a moment before being put down on the floor once more.  
>"Thank you... for everything..."<p>

"No... thank you for showing me that I'm not alone in this world. You've done so much in that short time. I'm not ever going to forget what happened. Thank you Xi." He stood up and gave a sad smile before returning to his position and waking himself up. When he did, he found himself in tears. It was not an easy goodbye for him and it showed.

B felt a strange pull to the back of the shrine, as though his friend was guiding him there for some reason he did not fully understand.

Following the pull, he eventually found himself at the back of the shrine. He looked around until he saw it, a collar in the foliage. He pulled it out and noted a name tag with 'Chu' written in Kanji. Tears fell and he knew what it meant. He walked back around and put the collar around the urn.

Just as he was about to clip the collar there was another pulling sensation, 'No. It's yours now'.

It was a strange feeling, but he nodded in thanks, whispering a silent 'thank you' before removing the collar and holding it close. He sought out his friend and approached him with a sad smile and teary eyes. He carefully pulled the older into an embrace and sniffled for a while.

L, who had been meditating, was snapped from his peace when his friend pulled him in. Slowly he registered what was going on and put his arms around his friend, pulling him in more.  
>"Goodbyes are not forever..."<p>

"D-doesn't m-make them any b-better..." he said, nuzzling his neck. He calmed down after a little while and lifted the urn before seeking out the caretakers, feeling his resolve weaken a little more.

There was a kindly monk awaiting them out the front of the shrine. He had already been told the urn would be coming and knew just where he was going to put it.

B followed him inside, removing his shoes respectfully and waited for his friend to do the same.  
>"I want to thank you for accepting this urn... my friend would be happy that you've accepted it here."<p>

"We appreciate the donations you and your family have given us during your stay here, looking after this will be the least we can do."

"It means a lot to me... having it here. I believe it is in good hands. Thank you so much." He gave a sad smile and stood by his friend.

"We will take good care of this, do not worry." The monk assured the boy and carried the urn away to put it among the other treasures.  
>"I know Xi appreciates this..."<p>

"He does... wait... Y-you knew Xi too?" B tilted his head to the side curiously and nibbled on a finger.

"He stayed here often after his family decided to kill his dog... They told him that he was hit by a car, but somehow I think he knew the truth..."

Red eyes glared and he looked at the collar in his hands.  
>"Those heartless people... What they did was wrong... Killing Chu like that... He was just a little boy..."<p>

The monk nodded sadly.  
>"It was not my place to interfere in their lives and as a monk I would have been out of line in more ways then one. However, I feel that what Chu did that made them do that to him was very noble. He protected Xi from his father, biting down on his hand and drawing the attention away from his master... The Shiba Inu is known for its loyalty, Chu was a fine example of this."<p>

"I'm glad that he continued to have an impact on him until his passing. Chu is a great companion for Xi and I know they are very much happier where they are now." He smiled wider and gently tugged on the older raven's shirt.  
>"I wish we could stay longer, but we are on a schedule. Many thanks for this."<p>

The monk bowed as the boys pulled on there shoes once more and left the temple.  
>"That's a sad story..." the detective mumbled.<br>"An animal that would give its life for its human companion..."

"Sad, but very noble. Chu and Xi are very happy where they are now. Xi would like to be your guardian when you've passed into the realm they call home. He says that it's something he feels strongly towards, but not in exactly those words."

"I would be glad to have him there to protect me..." L smiled at the gesture from the little canine he never got to know in person.

"I'm glad you feel this way Lawli. I don't want the bad spirits to get you..." He went silent then, leading them both back to their father who was packing the last of their things inside. The finality of it made B frown and glance backwards, but resolved to keep going.  
>"The monk was happy to receive the urn Watari. Thanks for helping me bring peace to my friend at last."<p>

"You're more then welcome my boy," the elderly man stated before looking over to his older son.  
>"L, was it really wise to leave the hotel in your condition?"<br>"I am feeling much better, really..."

"He's fine," B defended with him.  
>"We were going to leave the hotel with L in this condition regardless, so would it really matter? I don't think it would in this case." He held his friend closer before waiting for it to be ok for them both to enter the vehicle, letting his friend inside first before following soon after.<p>

"I would have liked to have been there in case something had happened..." the elder explained, climbing into the front seat.  
>"But I didn't go alone... Beyond was with me..."<p>

"Exactly. We know each other. It was completely safe. Nothing bad happened, really. I would not intentionally put him in harm's way." He buckled himself in, knew his friend did the same and edged himself as close as the belt would allow.

L did the same until they where sitting with there arms touching and the elder could lean his head to the side to rest on Beyond's shoulder.

The younger raven reached up and began to softly pet his friend's head while Watari pulled out, destined for the airport once again. B would reflect on this trip and what was gained, learned and the experiences shared. He closed his eyes, not wanting to strain them any more than he wanted to.

"I'm sorry we couldn't stay longer..." the dark eyed raven mumbled, his body clearly not fully recovered despite what he would like everyone around him to believe.

"It's alright Lawli," he whispered in reply after a period of silence.  
>"It was an experience I will not be forgetting anytime soon. It was worth it." He nuzzled what skin he could reach and let out a slow breath.<p>

"I think so to." L smiled slightly and leaned into his friend all the more, enjoying his soft touch.


End file.
